Got old growth wood?

Don’t know what to do with it?

It’s okay, you’ve come to the right place.

In Duluth, Minnesota a gigantic grain elevator, dating back to 1887, is slowly being dismantled by Wisconsin Woodchuck.  Approximately 6 million board feet of Eastern White Pine, along with the iron hardware that holds it together, is coming down, board-by-board, in hopes that this beautiful material will stay in circulation.  The story aired Sunday night on the History Channel’s Ax Men.

Continue reading “Big Trees” »

‘Tis the season to be shopping.  Right?  I found a new favorite website to streamline my list-checking.  Beso.com has already sifted through styles and price points so we don’t have to.

With upcoming ski trips to Whistler and Aspen…and then hopefully a visit to Utah,  this little number on their website caught my eye.

steamy drink+snowy backdrop+me in my new vest=ooooh yeah.

Just kidding.

Check it out and see what you can find!

Stay cozy!

-Michelle

Ranking No. 1 on my Tivo box is Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators.  (Sorry Honey Boo Boo.)  You don’t have to love interior design to get hooked on this show.   It’s high drama amongst creative personalities with dreamy budgets.  And it’s full of fabulousness.

 Kathryn M. Ireland brings it every time.  She’s sweet, funny, and kinda crazy and uses fabric and color to reflect her clients’ travels and appreciation of art and textiles.  In all of her projects, beauty and function hold equal importance, making the spaces comforting and livable.

Continue reading “Kathryn M. Ireland” »

For spring break this year we went to Belize and stayed in a small, 20 room resort, Blancaneaux Lodge.  The lodge is tucked in the mountains under a lush canopy of green and is just a short horseback ride away from a swim in the waterfall.  There are only two small restaurants in the resort, but they are spectacular.  All of the produce was grown down the road from our villa in a hillside organic garden on the property.

The soaps, shampoos, and lotions were organic and locally produced and by the end of the trip I vowed to create a natural environment in my home—add it to the to-do list.  That meant a bit of an overhaul of the cleaning and laundering products around my house. It took a few tries to find just the right blend, so I thought I’d share these with you.  If you haven’t yet and are thinking maybe you ought to, join a co-op in your neighborhood and give these products a try.   Continue reading “My natural home (almost)” »

Photo

Over the past few weeks, I’ve clocked way too many hours on the pontoon, and definitely not enough in the running shoes.  Oh well.  I’m on a hot streak now, so I’m just going to roll with it.  But I’m thinking about stepping up my game a little and starting to eat and drink things that I didn’t buy at the gas station.   Here’s how it’s going to look…

Continue reading “A Pontoon Picnic” »

I’m talking about the blanket—again.  This is a fun story so don’t slam your computer shut on me yet. Quick recap: The owners of this cabin purchased the blanket at an antique store.  I posted some photos of my projects on Houzz, this being one of them.  People went a little bit crazy over this old blanket…

Continue reading “Hello Again, My Old Friend” »

I don’t know if you’ve happened to click over to my Houzz page yet, but there I have a porch photo up that is creating quite a buzz…um, over the blanket on the bed.  Yes, I agree.  It’s a cool blanket and I’ve searched high and low for another with no luck.  I promised some of the readers I’d follow up.  Better late than never?  Aaargh.  Sorry.

Tuck in and read on…

Photo: Kim Piper Werker

Continue reading “Snuggly” »

(photo- www.thelindentree.com)

I think I live in one of the sweetest spots in the universe.  Aside from the charming homes and restaurants, the little stores and shops make me happy.  I even kind of love the hardware store. And I get to see these places several times a day.  Lucky me.

I’ve put together this little catalog of some of my favs.  Until I get to take you there in person, this will have to do.  My hope is that you’ll click through and fall in love.

Continue reading “Local” »