Our house has it….

…the flu --- yep we got it…I don’t know if it is the h1n1 ‘it’ or just an ‘it’ it – but we’re not feeling great here.

So…might not hear from me for a bit.  I don’t feel like bloggin (& I always feel like bloggin!)  Instead – I want to snuggle with my kiddos (who are also sick) on the couch & lysol everything!!

But I did want to pass along a wonderful bit of news:

I’ve been awarded my first award!!  Yippee – yahoo!

The wonderful PK from Room Remix has nominated my little ol blog for the Kreativ Blog Award

With the privilege of being awarded – there is a bit of follow up to then recognize others.   (But this work isn’t daunting – without the support of others where would we be?   Pay it forward…)

Here are the ‘rules’ for PASSING ON THE AWARDS:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award in your blog post.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each.

There are so many fantastic blogs out there & so many fabulous posts – this was hard to pick only 7.

I've linked to one of each blogger's projects that caught my attention recently (in no particular order):

Sunny Days – this girl is just so stinkin cute!!  and her blog – great displays with wonderful colors & great combinations of items!

Fiona & Twig    wonderful style – great colors

Moody Girl - check out this little stool tutorial – cuteness for her kiddos! 

Salvage Dior – look what this girl can do with stuff from the dollar store!

From House to Home – for lovers of older homes this is the site for you!!

Beyond the Picket Fence – hello – can you say vintage charm and ingenuity?  Check out this post about a new vision for an old drawer!

Buzzings of a Queen Bee – Numbered Pumpkins – pure genius & just gorgeous!

-------------------------

& here are 7 things you don’t know about me:

1.  I live in the northern tundra (not really the tundra but feels like it somedays) but I ADORE the warmth of a beach.  I wish I could have the change of season AND mild weather all the time!

2. I’m always cold – thus…why I long for the beach as noted in #1 above

3. I’ve always loved home decorating….my mom always checked out home decor books from the library growing up & I poured over them even as a little kid

4. I really ENJOY cooking for people who enjoy EATING

5.  I love living in the country & the solitude that brings but I CANNOT be too far from a town (a Target MUST be close by!)

6. My least favorite chore is grocery shopping…I like making the list & the planning but dread the time spent collecting all the items at the store & then paying (well - that part is particularly distasteful these days!)

7. We bought a riding lawn mower this summer & (shhhh - don’t tell my husband!) but I actually enjoy mowing the lawn…that fresh clean, orderly feeling after it’s done is very satisfying!

8. I am a list maker.  I LOVE crossing off (even mundane) things from my to-do list.

9. I want to live on a farm someday with a big barn!

10.I get my energy from the sun--- I’m much more productive on a sunny day (even if it is cold) than on a dreary gray day. 

ooops that was 10 things (I was only supposed to do seven- it’s the delirium of the flu setting in I think!) PASS IT ON (the support of fellow bloggers not the flu!)

Hope to see you (& be back at it) soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE

Display

How do we decide WHAT to display & HOW to display?
Sometimes it all just comes together…Sometime not so much.
Sometimes you have an idea & it works on the first try…sometimes you try & it just doesn’t work – so maybe you add something or take away or just start over.
Here are a couple snaps from around the house:

I’ve been loving the color combo of soft aqua & red together lately. So I amassed some of my aqua colored mason jars together in a metal basket & looped jute ribbon throughout to soften the edges a bit & bring in a bit of red to this area. I’ve been enjoying it every time I walk by…

Some of my enamelware collection & vintage kitchen items that I just put up above my cabinets (not sure how long I’ll keep them up there – but it’s been fun playing!)

Notice there are also the hints of red on the pots up there & aqua in on the vintage kitchen gadgets & on that aqua basket.

{my version holds an array of

mini pumpkins, apples & vintage buttons} :

Some vignettes from earlier in the summer:

soda crate that I’ve added a variety of jars & canisters to – tied them all together with the same green polka dot ribbon…in the summer these held bunches of lovely daisy blooms

Here are some other lovelies to admire from bhg:

Yum!

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE

Sharing this also via Funky Junk Interiors and her Saturday Night Special Link

Fireman’s ROAST BEEF

One of my family’s cherished recipes….I’ll share with you.

WARNING -- This is one of the VERY BEST recipes & you’ll want to make it only this way from now on!

History -- My grandfather was a fireman in a major mid-western city during the Depression.  He was an amazing cook & all around great guy.  I loved my grandpa.  Whenever I eat this wonderful meal I think of him!!

Not only is this dinner delicious but sooooooo very easy. 

You start off with a dutch oven pan

Place a approx 3 lb chuck roast in the pan

Place it is a 500 degree over – {yes I said 500 degree!} 

No lid, no water  - nothing at this time – just pop it in the preheated over (the pan, the roast that’s it)…for a 1/2 hour

this will sear in all the juices & make it moist & tender

      

 

then

take it out – add a cup of water and any veggies (carrots, onion, potatoes if you wish)

cover the pan with the lid

and return it to a 250 degree over {yes I said 250 degrees now!}

You can have it cook ALL DAY LONG!!

{This is why my grandpa cooked it this way at the firehouse – they could have it going & if they got called out for a fire – it would still be cooking away fine when they got back}

Maybe some mashed potatoes (oh yeah!) & maybe squash on the side

Enjoy!!

NORTHERN COTTAGE

Linking up to Rhoda’s Recipe Party at Southern Hospitality

Come On In

So I’ve been unpacking all the winter gear around here since IT IS SNOWING already! {brrrr!}

As I mentioned in an earlier entryway post – we have a teeny, tiny landing strip as we enter into our kitchen from the garage (unfortunately - not enough space to house ALL THE WINTER gear!)

We must hold the majority of our gear in the garage near the kitchen entry door.

BEFORE – this is what we had to work with – yep pretty raw space.

Notice the pretty piping above all around the ceiling that brings our heat from our outdoor wood boiler into our utility room in the house – pretty eh?

So what do you do with an unused corner of the garage, some stray rugs & a toolbox??

Here is the transformation -- I’ve tried to make this as functional as possible with the addition of the following stuff we already had here:

…hooks

The numbers don’t serve any purpose - they’re metal house numbers I picked up at the thrift store.

{they are just for fun to fill the empty spaces} but I love them!!

…a clock is also added to this wall to ensure we don’t miss the morning bus as we don our layers & layers!

see those empty hooks – that won’t last long!

And ~ of course ~

Storage, Storage & more Storage:

…using an old big toolbox to hold boots

…shelves {one for each member of the family to stow away extra hats, mittens & the like):

Each family member has a bin or cubby or locker basket to hold their own stuff.

I think the mounds of items taken out of seasonal storage has come together nicely & now appears at least somewhat organized.

Let’s see how long this lasts!!

I think it will function just fine & keep some of the clutter from making its way into the kitchen.

~Some dreamy entry wish list items~

I ADORE this rustic metally hook above from pottery barn

And how about coming into this fresh entry – take off your boots & hang your coat over the stair (yeah it wouldn’t actually work well – we’d have 18 pairs of shoes & boots & 15 jackets & then a trail of wet mitten, hats, scarves) but it is pretty to look at!

Chat soon -

NORTHERN COTTAGE

p.s. I plan on linking this up to:

Shabby Chic Cottage & their Transformation Thursday

Shabby Nest – for the fabulous …..Frugal Friday