The Humble Bungalow circa 2010....

Some of you were asking to see the interior of the Humble Bungalow and back almost a year ago when I commenced the foray into the blog world of cyberspace I did post some images.
I chose the name Humble because our Bungalow is small in size and is simply decorated with finds from years of collecting.
Our furniture consists of mostly generic arts and crafts quarter sawn oak pieces...not the high end name brands. One exception is the Stickley bookcase which was a gift from my grandmother.

I am somewhat tentative showing these as I see so many beautifully arranged and decorated homes on blogs that are so magazine worthy...bear in mind that we live a simple life, our home from 1913 is mostly  in it's original state with updates to the kitchen and bathroom. The floors are worn, and the woodwork on the wainscotting has seen better days.
I do not have a large space to display things but have a large collection of "stuff"
In the early years here in the Bungalow I dreamed of owning a large arts and crafts home with ample storage!
I think subconsciously I prepared myself for the move up...so I over bought and collected things for the future larger home. We never did make the move and now we have ample space for the two of us...it's our starter and our retirement home.

The Humble Bungalow... naked and baring all her flaws...

The Living Room

Entry hall

The Dining Room

 forgot to remove my Tory Burch handbag 

from the chair

VanBriggle pieces

An arts and crafts cabinet from a local estate sale,

this early purchase necessitated budget stretching meals for awhile!

Bench seat opens for storage

 from dining room looking east

teensy bedroom

dwarfed by a queen sized bed

we had to graduate from the double a few years ago

modern Stickley lingerie chest

home to

knickers and lacy unmentionables

tab pocket curtains hide all our clothes

wee space = small wardrobes

Bathroom

creative storage

dark green walls

Kitchen upgraded in a sympathetic manner

where I spend many hours

where I spend many hours...

reading and writing

power bar and cords have been moved up 

as Pepper has decided that they are a tasty chew

I have omitted the family room as it is currently Pepper's kingdom

and she has toys strewn hither thither and 'yon...

also the lower level

guest room hobby room 

horribly scary bathroom and laundry area

which are on my wish list for updating.

see a former post here...

oh and to answer the question...

I ordered my French Market Basket from Victorian Trading Co.

they are online and also have a catalogue.

I've been very nauti...

charting a course...

plotting

&

measuring

making plans

the laws of attraction...

landmarks and signposts along the way

guiding lights...

what's in a name?

new footwear

 boots 

"nauti" 

but nice

buckle up

I went shopping and Hunter boots were on sale...

I decided that now was the time to buy the bespoke boots.

I have wanted a pair of Hunters for a few years...

I sat down while the clerk went to fetch my size

I was mulling over what colour to buy...

red, classic green, black...

 I have sad news...they did not feel at all comfortable

I cannot believe it...but it is true.

they wobbled when I walked and they were too tall for my short legs!

the shorter version were not at all on my radar so...

I said goodbye to Hunters

and Hello

to SPERRY'S

these are so comfortable

 and just a tad shorter so they feel great!

I'll be puddle jumping happy when the rain falls

and it will

it has been raining for days

but not today...

the box is getting recycled

just as soon as Pepper is finished with it!

pawsitive identification...

Mother and I recently went exploring and found a hidden gem of a home decor store/ nursery/garden centre a few miles (kilometres) from the Bungalow.
A lovely drive in the autumn sunshine, a slight break from all this rain...a chance to chat and enjoy each others' company.
We had fun browsing and the shop keeper was very keen to show us around pointing out where he found the unusual wares. An unguarded banter was struck as we were the only two customers and we oohed and awed and pointed out and commented on what caught our eye...we were quite chatty and surprisingly loud...yet it felt comfortable.

Mother and I have very different taste in home decor, she leans to chinoiserie chic and I to simply crafted arts and crafts era furnishings.

Gardening was the major focus and garden accessories were in abundance...planters, seating, statues, birdbaths, sun dials...inside there were exotic scarves, shawls, handbags, candles, lights, fashion jewelry, table linens and all were displayed gracefully in colour vignettes.

Orchids and plants were interspersed throughout the displays.

The exotic and the common contrasted and collaborated to exude an elegant flair...a sensory delight that made it nearly impossible to leave empty handed...such a powerful tactic.
Illustrating skillfully just how objects can be combined to create artful and eye pleasing results that conspire and tempt even the strongest among us!

I am moving my accent pieces around the Bungalow and grouping them in different ways so they appear fresh and new. I have more bits and bobs than I can display at any given time so I am very prudent when it comes to adding more.

Mother and I both purchased...a plant that we were advised to water once a month...no name, no tag...
and were told it was a succulent.

 looks so unusual...

what is it?

anyone know this plant?

Mother had a bag full when we left

and I a single plant.

a few days later...

Mother met Pepper 

 Pepper purred like a bubbling motor!

she's won over another heart...

Pepper up to her usual mischief...

Pepper has got her eyes fixed on the strap of my camera

and she is doing her best

to cat-ch it!

she's swift

sure footed and pawsitive

her nails are razor sharp

(they have been recently trimmed)

sharp teeth

in the last couple of days 

she's taken to climbing up my pant leg

it hurts

and I must say I cannot ignore this behaviour nor condone it...

excuse me 

I must go and play with her or suffer endless scratches

and holes in my jeans.

Hope that you have time this weekend to indulge in something that you love...

be it a hobby, pottering in the garden or greenhouse,

sharing a meal with friends or family,

reading a juicy novel,

or simply soaking in a tub of scented or salted water.

Give yourself that time

a gift to yourself.

Lighting and the printed word...

The light here in the Bungalow inspired me to play

I changed the settings on my camera

I have forgotten how amazing Black and white images can be...

there are settings for fine detail

and blurring

settings for greener 

bluer

 redder 

 Autumn

a season of change

changing of the colours

time for warmer coats

boots

and

rakes

leaves

inevitably

float down

and settle

to become mulch

or

a warm blanket on the compost

I will spend

many hours outside

raking

the leaves do not fall all at once

they take their time

and many a gusty wind will blow before

this acaia tree

  is nude and stark 

probably 

sometime mid November

a light show

dancing

on the wood panel

in the family room

and the last image 

Pepper

as I closed the pages on The Bag Lady Papers...

you might glimpse I am clad in my apron

and ballet flats from France

I had a Cabbage Roll making marathon

I am happy to report that they were delicious

and I have frozen some for the future.

P.S. I have ordered a few books after my last post...

Bringing Home the Birkin

The Pursuit of love

and

The Secret Life of Eva Hathaway

and that's just the beginning...