On A Paper Road

       Color has arrived to this little village of 312.  The maples in the front yard are now ablaze.  Leaves lay like confetti, as if the earth was celebrating.  Friday night was spent relaxing flipping through the pages of  The Magicians Elephant    … ( A so far beautifully written and illustrated “children's” book) snuggling under a down blanket in the comfort of my bed. 
    After reading I typed up several Rituals and Meditations for my newly constructed (and temporary) Grimoire taken from a book by Judy Nock, as I prepare for next weeks Shabbat. I will post pictures next Sunday…  Along with the Grimoire I also put together a binder for our home , Paper Road Farm.

     You ask, Paper Road? Well I will tell you.. gather near. When we bought this darling grandma farm house we were told “ You live on a paper road” .. My husband and I stared at each other.   Turns out that we live next door to a road that was never build its only on paper ( the city plans, our deed, what not) but our little town never built the road.  So I took out our land plot documents and there what we call our gravel drive way sits “Elm street” , yes, really.  I giggled too when I read that.  The street I live on use to be Magnolia Lane before it was renamed for  a founding family I would imagine sometime in the towns “recent” history. 
        However I digress, I made this binder to hold all my paint chips, fabric samples and decorating inspirations.  I recommend everyone doing it, who has a tendency like me to love eye candy.. to collect it like a magpie… and lose it.  It is now all right at my finger tips. 

Just get a cheap binder if you don’t have one laying around and clear page protectors.  I just took tape and a sheet of computer paper and stuck together some beautiful inspiring pages that are double sided and could easily be unstuck if they needed to be.

Above are the piles of fabric and paint chips that I had stuffed in my living room book shelf that are now sitting neatly on the shelf. 
Now for a wonderful tip! This tip is cheap easy and you might already have it in your home.  I have struggled with finding work space.. not only to I not have a desk right now but I also am most creative when comfortable and I am at my most comfortable sitting cross legged somewhere cozy.. but cozy is a crappy work surface.  So here is the answer!

This is a simple wooden cutting board.  It is about H 12” by L 18” or so … I picked it up at Walmart in a set of three a year ago and only used the small one until I got grossed out by trying to wash wood after cutting food up and making deep scratches in the surface.. So after purchasing a plastic Microband one my wooden ones sat useless in the cupboard.  So Friday I had an AH Ha moment pulled it down and this one above has traveled all over the house with me since the moment I pulled it down.  If I flip it over there is the craved out groove all away around the board, which is prefect for a resting pencil or pen… I know, I know its just a piece of wood… But it has solved a problem that has plagued me for years. I hope this might help someone else. 
Before letting you go I wanted to let you know what’s coming up .. I spent the last week sewing my first dress it is so wonderful and I am so pleased with how it turned out I will be posting it soon with a review of the pattern by a true sewing beginner and where I found my fabric. Please do have a wonderful weekend I am off to use my brand new KitchenAid cinnamon red tea kettle and a cup of Early Gray… try to do something cozy by candle light…
blessed be
Sarahlynn

A Tribute to Great Men

The beauty of living within history, is remembering it.  Personifying every year that has passed each square head nail and heart pine plank.  The key to living is in preservation, not renovation.   In sealing over the blemishes that left scars from days gone by.    The memories that let this house breathe in, splitting plaster walls  with the heavy sigh of winter nights.  Or the humid summer memory of woolen soldiers spilling life on the porch.  It is in the rattle of  the ghosts of railroad men, who pace and smile at their dream still at the end of  the  road.   The steady chugging of steam powered progress that fueled a coast with coal from the mountains.  Who’s compacted rails will soon move people from city to city, in the belly  of modern beasts.  We live within the dreams of men, who prospected the burden of prosperity, and built over it. 

Thank you Bells, Babbs, and Dardens for believing in the simple dreams of men.

The Arrival of Autumn

Virginia usually leaves you breathless this time of year, all summered out.  But Autumn seems to be on time this September. The first day of the month brought sleeping weather and  I captured that coolness in the still of morning flinging open the doors to greet this unexpected but welcome visitor.  Dusk is ushered in by the back woods choir of crickets that ebb like the temperature where June bugs shrill once pierced the inky black night.

The  first day brought rain, leaving the sky gray but the fiery sunset pushed through the pines to claim its rightful place in the day.  It shown through for only five minutes setting the corn field and pecan trees on fire.  A magical glow wrapped itself around this part of the world reflecting off every slick wet surface before fainting behind the tree line. 

The hurried day reminded me of winter, daylight rushed into darkness. Its time to prepare, with oil and heaters and insulated drapes.  But that darkness helps you to look inward.  To focus on finishing projects and starting new ones.  Its time to settle in ...to enjoy comfy nights and sweaters.  Its time to breath in the scent of newly fallen leaves.  

So, gather here...its time to pick out those projects you've been meaning to get to and make a list.  The arrival of Autumn brings back the anxious stir of creativity!

(I will be posting my house hold projects soon. Fabric samples and paint chips! And my natural, all purpose cleaner .. coming soon)

BTW September first was Ed and I's fourth anniverisary.. Time sure flys!  Here is a picture of the fabulous necklace he bought for me from Etsy! Which I love and support anyway I can.. In hopes that one day I will have my own Etsy shop here is the lovely sellers store link

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6254638  
 Thank you Ed, I love you! and thank you "Azure Treasure" for your beautiful "Eternity necklace"

 

Settled

Home ownership is a magical thing.  Let no one tell you any different.  Who doesn’t dream of their own little corner of the world?  Think of the magnitude of property ownership back when this old house was new.  Over a century and a half ago men met and drew signatures across bone colored parchment, with ink that might as well have been blood. Owning land meant something, now it seems as disposable as the things we put between our four walls.  In the grand scheme of things there are very few old magical places left. And to have your name whether in ink or blood… on a hundred year or more old deed is something to be proud of. However with ownership comes great responsibility. 

    In a few days it will have been a year since my husband and I took on the adventure of owning.  It’s funny when I look back and realize that it has taken me a full year to finally settle in.  Though when I first walked through this grandma of a house I felt right at home.  My husband, Ed, actually said as we drove away from it the first time bright eyed and full of butterflies “ Is it me, or does it feel like that old house is hugging you when your in it?”  I laughed but had to agree.  It did feel like we belonged there, like the plaster walls were embracing us.

     As summer dies away into the cool nights of crickets and autumn I feel relief, the relief of being home.  It may have taken a full year and four seasons but I have arrived.  And like fall brings the changing of colors I too will bring it, in the from of brushes and buckets.  So I invite you in to my home and heart to take this journey with my family.  A trip of fixing, painting, restoring and saving a small part of history on my own little plot of the world.   As we move inside for the coming weather, a time of introspection and creativity I will share with you our trials of ownership. Whether you own, rent, have or dream of  living in a part of history I invite you in, to sit a spell and gush with me over all things shabby, chipped, crooked and beautiful.   Welcome friends to the first gathering of the Century Old Home Owners Society. Blessed Be.