Floating Shelves

The shelves have been complete for a few weeks, but today I decided to go ahead and photograph them. I've been trying to find the perfect framed artwork for the top shelves, but I pulled some prints I had framed out of storage and put them on the top shelves.  (It is not like those prints are going to be hanging on a wall anytime soon anyway.)  I really wanted floating shelves and was pretty determined that we could build them. 

The trick was the blocking we installed a long time ago before the walls were finished.  After a long morning at home depot we found the brackets. 

Britton built a hollow box and then slid the box on the bracket...ta da!

Estate of Things

About a month ago Britton and I went to an estate sale in downtown Memphis.  I've always wanted to see what an estate sale was like, but this estate sale was probably a little different than most.  There was an article on the front of one of the sections of the Sunday Commercial Appeal that weekend telling a story of an Italian family who bought a "mansion" in Memphis right after the Civil war.  It was the family's home for over 100 years until the last sister past away this last year.  The article intrigued my Mom and Aunt who talked us into going to the estate sale after lunch that Sunday.  Several hundred other Commercial Appeal readers were also intrigued as the line wrapped around the entrance and down the street.

 The house in its earlier days.

I was more interested by the house than the items in the sale.

The decorative radiators

The inlay design in the floors

Pink Pantry with Pipes

I snapped a few pictures of the items we saw.

 A Collection of Hats

Doll Collection

 This lamp was Huge.  I wish I had photographed it with something to scale it to.

 Mouse Traps

Trash or Treasures?  The beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  If only the walls could talk.  I'm sure they would have alot of good stories to tell.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Dad & Baby Courtney 1982

This weekend my family gathered to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  He is truly the BEST!  He has so many wonderful qualities; I could go on forever about how he came to all our childhood events, coached our teams, is always there to listen, and is always so PROUD of us.

I was recently reminded of another one of my Dad's amazing qualities. The other day, I saw a little boy with a shirt that boasted, "My Dad Can Fix Anything".  (I thought that if the little boy turned around the back of his shirt might say,"...that I break.")  My Dad really can fix almost anything.

Growing up, I took it for granted that if something broke in our house, my dad would fix it.  His father owned a hardware store and he worked there growing up.  It is in his genes to know the "ins and outs" of how things work.  I bet he was one of those little boys that loved to take things apart and put them back together!  Recently, I was telling my Mom about how I was trying to rewire a chandelier and my mom said, "You know who is really good rewiring lamps and light fixtures... your Dad."  My sister later told me that it was one of my Dad's jobs at the hardware store to rewire light fixtures.  I am so excited to be able to call on an expert to help me rewire the antique chandelier.  I look forward to being his apprentice when we sit down and rewire the chandelier that will hang in our dining room.  But, the more I think about it, the more proud I get that I took the chandelier apart in the first place. Why? Because that means that I have the same genes as my Dad, always trying to fix things.  I am so proud to be my Daddy's little girl!   Happy Birthday Dad!

**Dad, thanks for being the first one to read my blog!

Like It Was Always There

I loved reading this article in the April issue of Southern Living.  Jessica Thurston did an amazing job with this renovation.  As someone who has the opportunity to work on houses that are over fifty years old, I understand what a compliment it was to Jessica when someone complimented her kitchen by saying, "It looks like it has always been this way."  What a compliment!  Many people struggle with having modern amenities or the character of an older home.  This kitchen has the best of both worlds. 

And notice the chairs around the table in the dining room beyond.  I like the modern and the traditional mix of furniture.  CB2 makes a chair similar fittingly called the vapor chair.

Images via Southern Living  by Annie Schlechter.

Happy Birthday Ashley!

I am truly one of the lucky ones.  I married into an amazing family!  I am so blessed to have the greatest in-laws!  I am really close to my sisters, Whitney and Ashley, and now I have two amazing sisters-in-law, Ashley and Whitney.  Yep...that's right - two Whitneys and two Ashleys.  Today is my sister-in-law Ashley's Birthday!
Ashley and I have a lot in common.  Last Christmas when I asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said, "I really wish Cottage Living was still around.  I would love a subscription!"  Well it has been over a year since Cottage Living fell by the wayside, but Ashley, since today is your Birthday, this post is for you!

Some of my favorite Cottage Living Rooms: 

via Cottage Living

I also have to give Ashley credit.  She created our blog title photo!  Happy Birthday!