Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year to All of You Dear Friends.

Christmas Parlor Tour Pictures ~ 12/10/11

The Christmas Parlor Tour here in beautiful Oregon City, Oregon was a total success yesterday. I told the story of our historic home to many visitors, and it was a delightful day. Following are some pictures that I took just before the tour began. I had tremendous assistance from the splendid re-enactment of Marge Harding, a marvelous seamstress and actress who knows her history. I am so sorry that I never got a picture of lovely Marge in her 1880's garb. Thank you so much Marge.

"The c. 1888 Judge Harvey Cross House was constructed at another location and moved to this site sometime between 1911 and 1925. Cross was a prominent local and state politician and community leader. He was one of the founders of the Mount Hood and Barlow Road Company, which operated the Barlow Road after 1882, and with partners formed the Gladstone Real Estate Association which led to the establishment of the city of Gladstone. In 1890, Cross represented Clackamas and Marion Counties in the Oregon State Senate, and he also served as a county judge. In 1894, he co-founded the Willamette Valley Chautauqua Association and  helped establish it as the third largest permanent Chautauqua camp in the United States. The house was moved to this site during the ownership of Edwin G. and Gertrude Roberts who purchased the property in 1910, but continued to live at 1003 9th Street until at least 1916. By the early 1930's, Gertrude Roberts occupied this house and continued to do so until the mid - 1950's. Roberts was joined in by Joseph F. Davis, a teacher at Oregon City High School, and his wife Mary in 1953. Five years later, the house was deeded to the couple, who remained in the house until 1972. This property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. "

Harvey Cross selected the name of Gladstone, for a nearby developing town, because he admired Prime Minister William E. Gladstone of England. Harvey Cross and his family moved to Gladstone after they sold this property in 1910.

When the Cross family resided in this Italianate home, it looked like the following picture which includes the Cross family. See the baby in the window. I'm guessing a maid, a neighbor or another relative is propping the little one up.

Because it was the teens to the twenties when it was moved, the new owners modernized it with a new big Craftsman era styled front porch. The National Historic Register says it will remain this way and is never to be turned back. I'm fine with it though, because I love my big porch!

I am using this older picture, because of the pretty snow, which we do not have at present.

The picture below in the parlor is of my early Oregon, hanging corner cupboard that is standing above a Nativity Scene. 

From the parlor is a picture of the dining room, with the table set for a feast.

 A close up of two of my dolls who dwell in the dining room.

A peek into the kitchen through the dining room. One day this kitchen will be restored to a true Victorian one. It was last toyed with in the 1960's. The pink countertop and one of the first Kitchen Aid dishwashers is the true indicator. It is still a very good dishwasher!

~ Dining room into the parlor ~

A little etagere decorated with a more primitive bent.

Front door and porch. Oops on that wayward garland to the right!

Shot of kitchen showing door to dining room.

Shot of kitchen stove area, and I do not see one Christmas decoration there! Oh well.

~ Kitchen windows and counter top ~

~ The Parlor ~

 My Christmas tree is a Victorian Pencil Tree which I have had for many years. I live in the land o' Christmas trees, but I always choose my little faux one. I do have lots of fresh greenery here and there, but no tree thrills me like my slender, understated pencil tree.

Christmas Parlor Tour

My home will be one of the homes on tour in our historic neighborhood. I never have a tree up as early as this, but this year I will!  Hope some of you can make it!

Beautiful Rain

I am one who loves fall and winter and spring and summer; in other words, all four seasons. 

I have lived in snowy climes as well as my wonderful rain forest. I have to confess that I opt for the rain forest. I love the dark, blustery, rainy days and my umbrella and my kinsale raincoat. I do love wearing layers of clothing. I do not like to be scantily attired unless I'm sleeping.

Today I discovered an enormous mushroom! Or perhaps it's a toadstool. In any event, I had to take a photo of it with my iPhone. These babies are right outside our dining room bay window.  

Cooler seasons afford a coziness inside the house with warmth and candle light. Rain affords mobility in traveling. Shopping is never stopped short here in the rain forest, but it often was in the big snow, so I am very content with my beautiful rain.

Editing My Home

I have an old friend, who told me the best way to really see your home, is to photograph it. Well, moments ago, I did a few pix and then ended up cropping much out of each one, because they were way messy.

Below is a corner of my kitchen. In photographic form, it looks way too cluttered. And yet, I like everything in the room that is in that picture. I guess clutter is essential for me.

Wabi sabi is a term the Japanese use to embrace and accept flaws. It is pronounced wobby sobby. I'd say the beautiful Renaissance Revival chair below is quite wabi sabi, and I love it exactly as it is. So there. I spotted it at a local used furniture store this past summer. It was out on the sidewalk. I had Greg drop me off so I could run in and pay for it. Greg drove around the block just in time for me to load it into the car.

In the picture below the dress on this old, rag doll, is made from Victorian carpet that had been ripped up many years ago. My mom bought the old carpet at an antiques venue, and then gave it to me. I think it's really cool. This doll was one I made from a pattern from Marcie LaJoie of The Shack in the Back. Marcie has quit doing dolls. I made the doll many years ago. So it is old to me.

Currier & Ives and Victorian ladies all over my house! I love those beautiful old pictures and I also love that most of them are indeed a bit wabi sabi. I am very specific about what I love. I don't like people to give me presents, because I have to choose my own stuff. I've had to sell many an item that has been given to me. Oh gracious, sweet friends. I have a few things hidden away in dresser drawers, because somehow, even though they are gifts of love, I don't like them in my decor. I know. Very weird, I am.

I also love old, worn out, hence, wabi sabi frames. Here is one I picked up at an estate sale a couple weeks ago. I like it as it is. I bought the picture of the young woman at the same estate sale. I felt sorry for her, because it was the last day of the sale where everything under $100.00 was half priced, and still no one had bought her. She cost me $7.00. She resides in my guest bedroom with that gorgeous wabi sabi frame around her.

Due to my having two personalities; one being high Victorian and the other purely primitive in decor sensibility, the below cupboard was originally all white. But I used some milk paint, mixed it into this boring green, and painted the cupboard. I was hoping for more of a robin's egg blue, but ran out of the right stuff. I like the sage-ish green though, and so it remains. But the photograph points out the flaws. I had to "antique" my picture in iPhoto so as to diffuse the flaws a little. The doll is one that I made a couple years ago and then didn't want her to sell, so I have kept her. She has glass pupiless eyes!

You can see the Victorian in me with the tassel on the primitive chimney cupboard. (Chimney due to the height and narrowness.) I like to refer to my decorating style as Primitive Victorian. Some might regard that as an oxymoron, but there were plenty of primitives around during Victorian days, especially since Victorian days began in 1837 and ended in 1901. I'm afraid you won't find much European in my  house. I am so in love with early American as well as later times in this fair country, all the way through to the end of the Edwardian days, which ran from 1901 to 1910. Because America is so young, naturally one will not find European aged kind of stuff. I appreciate European things, but they do not own my heart. Early America ended in 1850.

And here is something that was made in the twentieth century! I love this old, hooked rug that shows the country child waiting for the school bus. It hangs on a wall in my laundry room.

Below is a shelf in my laundry room, just above the washer and dryer. I had to antique this picture too, because it was way too bright for my taste. In real life it is not all that bright, and that is good for me, because I prefer dark decorating. The little hooked rug is one I did of a design by Kindred Spirits.

Of course I love the mirror below. I bought it from Brent Heeb of Stars Antiques Mall fame, years ago. It had been pictured in Country Living magazine when Brent's house was featured. I was thrilled to have a mirror that was in a magazine! Silly me, my entire house had been in the same magazine the year before!

Note the gorgeous, large, antique tin document box with early tole painting on it. See the wee one next to it. It too is very old. I've had the wee one for many, many years. It looks as though it's the baby!

Coming down the stairs is a tall expanse of wall and so I have put more pretty ladies there. 

Well, so much for editing. I could do this all day every day. This is why I have two spaces at an antiques mall, and my Old & Good online antiques site. The hunt is what it's all about. One can only have so much stuff in one's home before one becomes eligible for "Hoarders"! Yuck!

Recycle, Go Green, Economize ~ Oregon Antique Mall

Trish Williams and Scott Cunningham are the owners of the new Oregon Antique Mall here in Oregon City, Oregon. They are extremely aware of the need for recycling good, old stuff, as well as for re-purposing and economizing.  They used complete sustainability when they restored the old building, and they applaud dealers who creatively bring merchandise that speaks for all of those points.

As a lover of antiques, I am amazed at some of the lovely items that are being brought into our mall. 

Antiques, of course, were well made and stand the test of time. 

Here are a few shots I took the other day. Our new mall has grown with leaps and bounds in just a little over a month. There are now 52 vendors that I know of, and it keeps on growing. There is so much fun and camaraderie there, and it is a great place for me to find treasures galore, as well as to sell some. 

Enjoy the following pictures of many spaces in the mall.

Wishing You All a Happy Halloween ~

Estate Sale - The Viewpoint Inn

Yesterday Gregory and I celebrated my birthday by going to the estate/liquidation sale of the beautiful Viewpoint Inn in Corbett, Oregon. I bought the little foot stool that you will see in one of the pictures. The movie Twilight was filmed here in Oregon as well as parts of Washington, and the beautiful prom scene was filmed at The Viewpoint Inn. Alas the building caught fire on July 10. The owners plan to remove the remains of it and to rebuild. The view is spectacular. We now have some really nice restaurant dishes, glassware and pots and pans!