savvycityfarmer

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ... LINK PARTY #10

2012-02-01T15:43:00.000-06:00

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY

time flies

does it not

link party # 10

whew

no matter where I serve my guests

it seems they like my kitchen best ...

Goa
loves white dishes
who doesn't?

hhhmmmm, does she have a STORE?

we'll have to find out won't we?

visit her
HERE

this week, show off your bistro finds!!!

link party guidelines

1. link only the URL of the post you are featuring

2. link back to savvycityfarmer with a visable link and or my button

3. no crafts or crafting projects please

4. be nosey, flit around and visit the rest of the links

DINING ROOM TURNED HOME OFFICE ...

2012-02-01T08:48:00.000-06:00

I was bored ... so much to do ...

got sidetracked along the way

I'm pleased as punch!

join in the fun at wow us wednesday
and white wednesday

join me tonight for thrift'n on a thursday

THREE GUESSES ... THE REVEAL

2012-01-31T07:53:00.000-06:00

any more guesses before the reveal

scroll to the bottom and let's see if we can have some fun

w _ _ _ and c_ _ _ _ _

more takers?

wood and canvas

dry cleaners cart

be still my heart

~~~

still pondering whether to sell

at shop the shed

perhaps the highest bidder

heeehee

your thoughts now?

THREE GUESSES

2012-01-30T06:50:00.000-06:00

I'll give you three guesses to

figure out what I unearthed this weekend ...

hint#1

it has to do with laundry

hint #2

it consists of w_ _ _ and c_ _ _ _ _

your thoughts please

check back Monday evening

for pictures and reveal

STUFF IN THE BURBS RE-LAUNCH

2012-01-28T08:17:00.000-06:00

I cannot tell a lie ...

(wanted to slip this post in before my industrial french post)

I am excited ...

for the re-launch of

"stuff in the burbs"

truth be told

I do not know if I can wait until February 1st.

I've looked into some really fancy schmancy web developing ...

and geeeesh, I would rather pass my savings onto YOU.

Perhaps someday

my little blog/store will grow up into a big girl

fancy schmancy on line shoppe .... but for now
I'm powering thru blogger and trying to maximize its'
pages and tabs features.
(oh and thank you paypal for 'add to cart' buttons)

I've sold my fair share of goods
(since it opened 2007)
with the humble
little page

powered by blogger and paypal
... u'hum for free ...

with that said ...

and now I'm really giddy ...

"by this evening there will be merchandise added to
a few of my nine hand picked

categories ... "

there is a contact link ...

I'd adore your feedback

you can expect

a timely reply if you email me with questions

or inquiries

stuffintheburbs@gmail.com
have a great weekend

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ... LINK PARTY #9

2012-01-25T18:08:00.000-06:00

I will be away from my desk all day tomorrow,
so I started the link party a bit early

~~~
THE hunting SEASON IS UPON US

did I say the season is upon us?

saddle up all of you
thrifty cowgirls ...

whaddya' think of these

fabulous

bargains?

join in at the end and show off your
thrift'n finds!

LA DOLFINA

this chickie hunts and gathers up and down the California coast

snoop around to see all of her $1 treasures ...

I have never seen creativity put to such good use
as at
MAMIE JANES

this kindred spirit repurposes every thrifty morsel she finds

and takes the most stunning pictures, to boot

peek in

HERE

and say hi to Jane!

sizzling sensations

over at some new friends of mine ...

they show their hot wares all over the midwest!

HOT HOUSE MARKET

(we met at an Illinois blogger bash)

love old books??

who doesn't?

my dear friend Lynn has been faithfully reading my blog for six years ...

you MUST

stop over and catch a glimpse of her old books

HERE

~~~

naturally, I've been thrift'n too ...
it's what I do ...

take a peek
and then tell me which treasure you think might be headed for a makeover?

linky guide lines:
this can be the icky part ... many of you play along
but
fail to link back with a visable link
... this is not about pride my little cowgirls, but about endorsing each other!
please be so kind as to create a visable link back to
savvycityfarmer

link the URL to the actual blog post
you are featuring, not the entire blog ...
please no crafty crafting projects ... (save those)

~~~

scf
calender of events:
Feb 1 ... re-launch of stuffintheburbs

my next post
"Industrial French" with a Midwest Flavor

Fox River Cottage Wedding
and all the details featured at
Belle Inspiration Jan-Feb , 2012

April 1, launch of the
sparkling new
parisiennefarmgirl E-magazine
subscribe today if you haven't!

and
as always
you can expect a
timely reply if you email me with questions
or inquiries
stuffintheburbs@gmail.com

POTTING SHEDS ...

2012-01-23T15:59:00.001-06:00

I believe

I BELIEVE

I believe
in a squeaky chanting voice

spring can't be far away, right?

once February rolls around my heart starts humming

a little song ... way down deep inside ...

if there's any time in my 24 hours for daydreaming,

my thoughts head toward my shed ... and the frozen perennials

struggling to make their way back around

for spring and summer pleasure.

take a cue and some inspiration from these pinterest images ...

I searched potting shed

and this is what sprouted...

hhmmm ... I have most all of this wonderful junk laying around here

just needs me a zinc wrapped cubbie ...

collections en masse

make a serious statement ...

terra cotta pots grace almost

every garage sale ...

haggle til you can't haggle ...

buy them all

love, love, love the dirt floor

I'm a born and raised Hoosier farmgirl ...

in all of my daydreams, there's a greenhouse

be still my HEART

in this small delight, you can say your prayers while you pot

repurpose

hhhmm ... wheels a turnin'

use what you have ...

keep adding elements, until

you achieve the look

find a corner

and start potting!!

REALLY?

do you have a fave?

images:

country living

martha stewart

movie: it's complicated

google

unknown

joining white wednesday

GRAM TO SIX ...

2012-01-21T13:24:00.000-06:00

weekend update ... read on

ot take a guess

what this post contains?

we're gonna be gramma again ...

my baby's having a baby ...

come July, we'll be snuggling

grandbaby numbr six ...

it doesn't get any better than this ..

"HEY ... YOU SEEN THIS YET" ... TWITTER SPAM

2012-01-21T07:22:00.000-06:00

or not ...

... I joined the ranks of twitter-ers
a few weeks ago
it seemed harmless ...
social butterfly-ing ...
networking for the sake of
business and all
~~~
sigh... I'm sinking fast into the
quagmire
of
"why did I ever do this? "

instantly
I was hacked
and started receiving 'spammed' tweets
from most all my followers ...
may I say, respectable and honorable friends!

okay ladies, aren't you quite sick

of it all?
I guess someone is getting their jollies
coining the phrase,
in very poor English I might add:
"hey ... you seen this yet?
horrible rumors about you going around online ..."

and of course a bogus website attached
#I'mmadasahornet
why?
because there's not a darn thing to be done ...

I reported it ...
went to the help desk ...
changed my password
yadda
yadda
yadda
are ya with me here?

please know that if you "seen this"
come across as twitter from me ...
it's origin is, well
your guess is as good as mine ...

JEANNE D'ARC LIVING

2012-01-20T08:16:00.003-06:00

We're on the threshold of spring, aren't we?

the mild winter (thus far)

in the midwest make ones hopes really high ...

time passes quickly though

... as long as the earth remains there

will be summer and winter

seed time and harvest

rain and snow (Genesis)

I'm filled with delight ... in the February issue

Spring will be a major focus ...

reserve your copy today

(many of you have already)

quanities are limited ...

breathe in

breathe out

the earth is groaning for Spring!

be blessed this beautiful winter weekend

joining in at

vintage inspiration friday
and the french cupboard

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ... LINK PARTY #8

2012-01-19T21:23:00.000-06:00

SHOW ME YOUR CHANDIE ...

... let there be light ... one of my favorite Bible verses ...

with a handy-dandy-hubby, a stepladder, electricians tape

and a trip to the flea market, you can transform any room

into an opulent, visual feast

link up and show me your chandie

or favorite lighting in your home!

submit the URL to the blog post you want to feature ...

link back to savvycityfarmer with a visual link
... this is how it works girls ... we endorse each other, right?

no crafting projects please ... !!

shop around and peek in to others linked

you may make a new friend ...

show me your chandie!

you're next!

PATINA STYLE

2012-01-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

P is for Patina

call me crazy, call me silly, call me weird ...

I adore surface(s) ...

crusty, rusty, not so much dusty ... but anything

that evokes the word patina ...

in my surroundings you'll find everything from rusty, crusty AND some dusty ...

... here are some of my favorites ...

three farm ledgers

that will be available via my online store

February 1

my heart flips at the sight of the cloth and leather

resting next to the metal

heavy metal cubbie drawers chock full of old bristl-y art brushes

watch for brushes in my store, too!

I bought this cubbie from my really good friend Rosemary

she's become a household word in blogland ...

pitted clock face I bought on etsy

proudly frames a picture of my grandpa!

I thought this up myself

haha

kitchen hardware

like I said, call me silly and weird for finding pleasure in gazing at this

there's that metal trim again!!!

... this could perhaps be the biggest heart throb in the farmhouse ...

a meat cloche dome resting on a gi-normous silver plate tray

would you just look at that ...

this is patina with a large P ...

curved metal leg of my dentist cabinet ...

oh boy, heart beating fast and faster ...

lurking beyond this pair of great legs ...

the rubbed wood handle of a wire basket

and a fabulous one of a kind burlap

moving pad stenciled with the name of the shipper!

somebody stop me please ...

I could go on for days

last but certainly not least

one of a pair of zinc finials atop my chicken wire curio ...

my good friend Brooke Gianetti

and her husband have a beautiful book on the market

I'm sure you know of it

PATINA STYLE

loaded with inspiration and much better photos than mine ...

do you see this book in your future?

my dear friend Pam gifted me with this book last fall ...

I will never be the same

thanks to loads of new followers at
stuffintheburbs

joining in at nifty thrifty tuesday
and kim at wow us wednesday

MOVE THAT BUS ...

2012-01-16T15:33:00.000-06:00

isn't it funny how we change?

I thought Rosemary Sprig by Benjamin Moore was the be all end all color a few years back ...

actually it is a lovely shade of mossy green ...

after living with it for five years ... not so much.

here are some photos from those bygone years ... and my most well read post in the history of my blogging ...

fast forward to just last week when I got an email asking how my home was 'discovered'

for the recent flurry of magazine coverage ...

my 1000.00 kitchen makeover and that post called

MOVE THAT BUS ... MOVE THAT BUS

thrust this old farmhouse in to the photo shoot

magazine-editor-frenzy that occured a year and a half after that blog post.

Little did I know that magazine scouts were reading my blog, let alone interested in a farmhouse with so many flaws one couldn't count them.

it all started with removing said cupboard doors ... mr. savvy
USUALLY goes along with my zany ideas ... I didn't have to pitch this one very hard ... he complied. Notice how uber ugly they are before the white ironstone went in. (photos are pre-Canon camera)

and how about that layered old wallpaper mess?

the staples and canned goods that resided in those now open cupboards found comfort in this pine Iowa farmcupboard that was a prop in our retail shop.

I've made ooodles of changes even since Christmas ... first I unclutter my counter tops and then I find me junking them up again.
...instead of thinking I need something different, I just move things around ... it works like a charm.

It's a cozy cloudy Monday ... I'm savouring being home all day and basking in the nostalgia of that January makeover five years ago ...

and oh for the record, I don't have any heart throbs other than said
mr. savvy ... but I do loves me my TY ...

thanks for riding along down memory lane ...

GOT COWS?

2012-01-15T08:56:00.000-06:00

GOT COWS?

corny, yeah yeah

I know

take a very, very, very ordinary estate sale frame

hit the edges with gold leafing ...

splice in a piece of corregated framing supply ...

turned backwards ...

add vintage cow plate

~~~

sum total

JUXTAPOSITION

fun

techy

glitzy

french industrial?

farm picutre

why of course the back is finished with my point shooter
and designer ready to hang ...
(12 x 15)

'GOT COWS '

is HEADED FOR the grand RE-OPENING

stuffintheburbs ...

I'm making baby step progress

stop in and see ..

are you a cowgirl?

PANTONE SHMANTONE

2012-01-13T08:52:00.000-06:00

YEAH YEAH YEAH

I heard the news about the color tangerine

being the color of the year and all ...

and while it doesn't surprise me ...

I have other ideas in mind, but nobody asked moi ...

this settee knocks the little white socks off my midwestern feet ...

I'm off to look for the bare bones and then I'll be heading to my upholsterer!

your thoughts please

I honestly do not know where this photo came from

help

linking with

vintage inspiration friday

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ...#7

2012-01-12T10:47:00.001-06:00

all though this hasn't much to do with

thrift'n on a thursday

I thought about this subject last

evening ... and maybe just maybe some of you

have a post to share right up this alley!

KEEP THE BEST AND SHED THE REST ...

some of you are looking for ways to 'grow' your blog.

Some of the big dogs out there have two and three thousand followers and comments

up the ying yang ...

don't know 'bout y'all, I find this

very interesting.

Some days I have fifty comments

and some days I get 6 ...

keep the best and shed the rest ...

what's a girl to do that wants to grow

her baby blog into a big girl blog?

here are some thoughts

straight from my mactop!

1) pictures, pictures, pictures ...
but not too many pictures, haha

not just any old pictures, but

clear, edited and as large as possible
blogger has a button for this

2) themes, themes and more themes ...

be cohesive/short and to the point/most of us don't have much time ...

3) interact with the reader, ask questions ...

tell your own answer to your own question

4) and speaking of telling ...

tell funny stories ... be silly once in a while

shoot from the hip, and be honest

5) join link parties ... blogs get discovered

this way!

6) blog often and for heaven's sake

keep your camera with you always.

7) please don't ask how I feel about ads
and buttons
smattered all over beautiful blogs ... did I just say that?

so now, link up if you have a post about

blog growth

and if not link up anyway!

you know the drill

no craft projects please

only the url to the post you're featuring

link back to savvycityfarmer

keep the best and shed the rest

happy blogging

linking with laurieanna's vintage home

a must see post!

STUFF.IN.THE.BURBS.

2012-01-11T16:03:00.001-06:00

... introducing the grand re-opening

'stuff.in.the.burbs'

my online store

open 24 hours a day
~~~

filled with merchandise
from the categories
shown in the collage above

debuting February 1st, 2012

please link over
here

and 'follow'

if you wish
pssssssttt ...if you tag along on twitter
you'll be first to view new merchandise

pleasant surprises are lurking

at the workbench
and on the storage shelves ...

~impeccable shipping~

~terms via paypal~

~ultimate customer satisfaction~

... your thoughts please ...

linking with white wednesday
linking with wow us wednesday

THE CARB LOVER'S DIET ...

2012-01-10T10:05:00.000-06:00

A POST FROM ONE YEAR AGO ...

detox or botox?

"Whether it's 15 pounds or 50, the struggle is the same.

The resolve is the same.

The decisions are the same.

AND the results are the same ...

if we wait, then we weight!!

I've found that there really isn't any standing still.

Eventually, if there is no action, the weight comes back.

Like me.

I have a million and one excuses as to why I'm not at the lap pool,

or using the weight machine in our basement!"remember??

I am embarrassed to say that from that day to this last

Friday, I spoke seriously, but acted foolishly.

Yes, I lost a few pounds, but it was grueling.

enter

Rachel Ray ...

did you see her show last Thursday?

Jan. 20th ...

she featured a guest author of this book

run, don't walk to your nearest Amazon and pick this up.

this is not a fad, lose it quick plan ...

we all know those fail every time

don't know about you

but I'm BURNED OUT on eating protein ...

FESS UP

cityfarmer ..

I LOVE CARBS!

please know that it's still a struggle no matter what.

BUT

this book is changing me.

as of this morning

five pounds are gone since Friday Jan. 21st.

Enjoying toast again, baked potatoes

cereal, sandwiches, a handful of chips and the like.

organic, whole wheat, rye and oatmeal but who cares!

bring them on

These are the loves of my life.

I had abandoned them for bacon and eggs ...

Now I know ... this bod needs them.

I was low on fuel

and my tank is on its way back to full ...

I have more energy than I know what to do with ...

my skin is different

I feel satisfied.

(never did before)

all in less than one week.

(like most of us, I lose in my face first)

Of course, you can imagine that the gist of the book is

good carbs vs. bad carbs.

I'm not talking about ooey gooey muffins and pies here ...

don't wait ...

if you're like me

you have special events coming

your way this summer.

how do YOU want to look?

one year later

the woman in black
( and adorable SIL's)

the carb lovers' diet coupled with swimming

and free weights ...

only 12 pounds

but it came off(is coming off) all the right places ...

talk to me

and as always, talk to your doctor first

FROM THE DESK OF SAVVYCITYFARMER

2012-01-08T08:32:00.000-06:00

dear loyal readers,

a couple of times a week I get an email saying

"I've never seen a Jeanne D'arc Living magazine, what are they like?"

Thank you to all of you who are ordering the Jeanne d’arc Living magazines. (savvycityfarmer is officially a stocking US dealer.)

I am heading out the door right now to ship the January orders.

This is truly inspirational, is it not?

Please find the scheduled editions for the year 2012 below.

It seems the home office in Denmark is producing more often, most likely due to demand.

With each shipment I order different quantities, so be sure to pre-order as soon as you see the news flash across my blog sidebar.

I’ve been told that our potting shed and back yard will be in the spring edition, so I will be ordering heavily in April and May, as I’m not sure which issue it’s in.

Thanks again for your continued support of this blog

and the JDL magazines.

If you live within driving distance of Chicago

I’m hoping you can join us at

Shop the Shed

May 12, 2012
~our fourth shopping event here at my farmhouse~

we will be stocking plenty of the April issue!

savvycityfarmer

stuffintheburbs@gmail.com

January 13

February 24

April 6

May 18

June 29

August 10

September 28

November 9

I am sorry to say my supply of the January issue is sold out

please, if you wish, you can

pre-order the February 24

on my side bar.

I gather the orders and ship as soon as the issues arrive here.

images via google

JOHN DEERE PINK

2012-01-07T11:34:00.001-06:00

Being from the farm and all, this pink

JOHN DEERE

really strikes a chord ...

A LONG time ago, I did pink in my house ...

it was lovely ... and then one day

I shut down on pink

please don't misunderstand ... if you brought me a bundle of these

I'd flip out!

so PINK

is just gone for now

truth be told I think pink

is here to stay

in some little maison française,

but for now

this cityfarmer

is headed

for

INDUSTRIAL FRENCH

I'm cleaning la bajeeberz out of this old farmhouse

and trying on something new for size ...

can you check back next week

and peek at the 2012 makeover?

now that Christmas is down ... you did take it all

down, right?

if your home is speaking,

what's it saying to you?

linking with

my romantic home

show and tell friday

images

google and my iphoto

WHERE WOMAN CREATES ... LINK PARTY #6

2012-01-05T07:29:00.000-06:00

SHOW ME YOURS

and I'll show you mine!
... workbench, that is!

let's link stories ...

where do YOU create?

thrift'n on a thursdaytm

link party number SIX ...

here we go

yes, I wear gloves, all day every day

ask anyone who knows this painter girl!

gotta have "parts"

I buy them whether I need them or not

supplies ... Home Depot knows me by name ...

a girl and her tools

loves me my zinc ... I just gaze at it while I'm working

storage shelves ...

very much needed for finished projects

show me the grime

show me the grit

show me the goo!!
link the url to the blog post that shows me where you create

and then link back

PLEASE

tag along if you wish

HAVE I PIQUED YOUR PIN-TEREST?

2012-01-03T08:19:00.000-06:00

PIQUED your PIN-TEREST?

as if we all are not BUSY enough ...

there's an on line venue for keeping your favorite photos ...

c'mon

really

yes, really ... you create an account and start

pinning your favorite photos and everyone

else's too

on to boards with titles that you create !

sit back and soak up a few of my boards ...

and this is just the tip of the iceberg ...

AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON

are you getting the idea?

follow me on pinterest

courtesy of

cote de texas, hviturlakkris blog, stone gable blog, savvycityfarmer, this old house, brabourne farm blog, velvet and linen blog, french garden house blog, poppy talk blog, romancing the home, hooked on houses blog

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES ...

2012-01-01T16:09:00.000-06:00

braced. hunkered. stocked and stoked.

~batten down the hatches~

we're headed for trouble ...

with wind gusts up to 50 mph

it's winter in the midwest ...

give up the struggle

not even the chickens frolic

against these elements

so grab your boots

your coat

and mittens

round up the pets

count heads

and hunker down ...

gonna do me some laundry

and celebrate the rest of new years' day

with some wonton soup, fried rice

and the NBA

take me a bath

whip up something sweet

and stoke the fire ...

according to the forecast,

there's

no end in sight ...

have a beautiful new week in the year

of our Lord, 2012

scf

photo credits

crush cul de sac

image nine ... my good friend theresa

image three ... my hollyhocks

PARISIENNE FARMGIRL MAGAZINE

2012-01-01T00:10:00.000-06:00

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine is a digital magazine with a flip, turn, page style format. Editions will arrive quarterly, ready to inspire you for each season! Lush and large photographs and editorials exclusive to PFM are going to make it an instant favorite and must have for your design, fashion and lifestyle inspiration! Wearable Parisian fashions, elegant farm living, DIY projects, home interiors you've NEVER seen before, city and rural gardens, recipes and much, much more. All conveniently stored on your computer for as long as you'd like! No more cutting out your favorite articles to save! The Inaugural Edition will arrive on April 1st, 2012 with subsequent editions arriving July 1st 2012, October 1st 2012 and January 1st 2013...

NEW YEAR, OLD PRAYER

2011-12-30T14:37:00.000-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

It's a really good thing that we cannot see the future ... when it arrives it vanishes about as quickly as the poof from a cork.

God intended for our faith to be poured out as into a glass.

Bubbles, tiny, tiny bubbles linger and float to the top if poured into the correct flute.

Lesson: if the proper glass is used the bubbles last.

Father God, sweep the dust out of my vessel. Wipe me clean and add the sparkle of Baccarat

crystal.

Pour your Spirit into me and keep the bubbles bubbly.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

My eyes looks to you rather than the future. It is unknown and

murky.

Renew my youth like that of the eagle.

Keep my bubbles from bursting.

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

cityfarmer

linking with vintage inspiration friday

CUBB-IES ... LINK PARTY #5

2011-12-29T09:06:00.002-06:00

MOST ALL OF YOU

know my affection for cubbies

on the wall, or in the hall

I LOVE THEM ALL

they add function and

FUN

I have several

I wanted to show you what I did

with the latest

thrity purchase

I turned a shabby PINK cubbie

into a not so shabby

industrial

one of a kind

dreamboat

which sold lightening quick

at my Christmas home show.

with a little of this and a little of that

~paint, distress and my famous stain finish

~old ledgers

~vintage rubber stamps put to good use (HERE)

and a sit up in bed idea

it turned out to be WOW

I hada' hard time parting with this not so shabby

baby

PLEASE

join me

for my fifth link party

thrift'n on a Thursday

SHOW off your favorite cubbie

OR thrift shop find

(no crafting projects please)

and be sure to link back

savvycityfarmer

also

I'm

joining Kim

for wow us wednesday

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS ...

2011-12-24T15:27:00.000-06:00

I'm thankful for family

and friends ...

LIKE all of YOU

my life is blessed beyond measure ...
... I'm honored to be your friend

wishing each and everyone of you

a very

Merry Christmas

and a prosperous
and healthy

New Year.

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY (house tour) ...

2011-12-21T20:54:00.000-06:00

WITH CHRISTMAS JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY ...

I felt led to host a tour thru this old farmhouse.

I've made some changes

and unearthed some fabulous thrift shop finds

in the past year ...

... it all adds up to making Christmas design so much fun ...

settle in with your favorite cupp'a ...

since MOST everything in this old farmhouse was gathered

by thrift'n

I'll add explanations and captions as we go ...

black and white photo tree ...

gathered glass cloche housing small vignettes
... ages old ... garage sale white urn totes a faux tree
mule deer rack rests in a basket of pine cones ...
a staple here, white ironstone fits right into the Christmas decor
a favorite ... galvanized silo pipe, doubles as a column

... thrift shop find ...

plaid wool scarf

used as a garland

cardboard farm animals from a board game (nine in the set) share a square in my pine cubbie ... they are also featured in my etsy store.

this farmgirl can never have too many FRESH greens

thrift shop find!

child's skates

I distressed them with an electric sander and added stain

I think this bundle of mini white birch is my favorite
I will be adding these to my etsy shop!
they fullfill farmhouse flavor year round!

good old fashioned spray snow!!

(didn't realize until later that I had framed the porch lantern perfectly)

... FRESH FRESH FRESH ...
it's a must for that farmhouse flavor
... mr savvy attached a live tree topper
to each of our seven porch posts ... as per my instruction ... heehee

... add as much SPARKLE as you can
the gleam in a silver meat dome cannot be out done!
vintage Rothschild champagne magnum completes the gleam ...
antique glass bead garland adorns my dining room chandelier
every year ...

loving cup boasts fresh greens and red hypericum

concrete bird bath center piece ...
just power wash and move that baby inside!

you know me, besides adding thrift shop finds ... I love using what I have!
gray wool thrift shop blankie serves as a slip cover

french postal bag gets stuffed with a pillow form
and adorned with burlap twine ...

I'm sure you've had just about enough of this
nickel tour ...
thanks for tagging along
and adding a link
of your favorite Christmas vignette

~~~

linking with

Faded Charm

White Wednesday

#131
and
Wow us Wednesday

CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET ...?

2011-12-19T13:23:00.000-06:00

CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

WELL

so can I ... heehee

drumroll please

beloved daughter

makes an #uberexcitingannouncement

in just 15 days

YES

I know the secret

but we did the " hooked pinky I swear routine" ...

SO check back in really soon

and we'll all be doing the happy dance!

SHE'S NOT PREGNANT ...

WHAT'S IN A NAME ... THE REVIEW

2011-12-17T11:20:00.000-06:00

I post this re-run once a year

and I think it's time again ...

new readers, new followers and the like!

... roll it ...

Over here at the farmhouse

I'm so curious about

you on the other end of my cyberspace ...

what you look like, where you live, what you do, and the like.

When it comes to names, and the way people chose vanity plates for their cars, names for their boats, their farms

and the like ...I am r.e.a.l.l.y. curious

always have been ...

I'd l.o.v.e. to be one of the people getting paid to think of names for

OPI nail polish ... right?

So, all that said ...

talk to me

creative cyberspace audience ...

tell this farmer how you decided on your blog name!!

a good six years ago

Ang

and I were meandering thru a delightful garden shop, The Cityfarmer ...

in Door County, WI.

I had just been introduced to blogging, but hadn't take the "step one, step two,

step three"plunge.

I shared with her that if I ever started a blog, I would call it

savvycityfarmer ...

fast forward

six years

and

here

are

Being a farmers' daughter and all, and having moved from the farm to

the the big city ...

need I say more?

In a nutshell

there is my

"what's in a name"

savvycitystory ...

tell me yours

perty' perty'

~please~

IMPENDING IMPERFECTIONS ...

2011-12-17T07:24:00.002-06:00

... this subject has been haunting me for quite some time ...

here in blogland we put our best foot forward ... for the most part.

we wouldn't dare show off the icky rooms at home ... or the wet towels in the corner ...

... the spider webs, the mildew ...

yes, you heard me

broken toilet seats, sinks that won't drain, windows missing their storms, need I say more?

Heaven sakes alive this old house only has four closets, count them.

things get "stashed" where ever one can find open territory.

I find myself wrestling with coveting new construction and all of it amenities ...

like his and her closets that are bigger than my first floor

and if there was a niche for the coffee pot,

one could reside in these closets!

what's that all about?

I'm here to tell ya

AND to set the record straight ...

lest you think things are just hunky dory here at this old farmhouse ...

they are not.

if that's what I've portrayed over the years, for this I am sorry.

Life is real here ... and in some rooms real means REAL grime and grit.

It's not my favorite subject ... the ta' do list, that is.

It's miles and miles and miles long.

We do the biggies, it seems, like paint the porches,

and change out the room schemes,

but when it comes to the grime and the gritty

the category remains just that ... grime-y and gritty.

come with me on a little journey

an impending imperfection journey ...

this is not for the faint of heart

may I remind you ...

blech

crumbling basement walls

constructed of river stones

circa 1870

don't you dare remind me of those "dream laundry room" posts

floating all over the net

oh and to top them off ...

washers and dryers that actually have a matched mate

and are mounted and raised to eye level ...

with wing backed chairs and a sitting area!

(with a niche for the red wine, one could reside in

these laundry rooms)

oh paaahlease ...

no I'm not EVEN revealing which room boasts this lovely corner

darling mr. savvy, God love him, builds cubbies to try to stay organized

in the basement ... just around the pitted cement floor corner

from the mismatched washer and dryer.

are you with me still?

haven't fainted have ya?

missing tile in food pantry.

1950's tile that is ...

no wonder they're loose.

this is just a smattering of the mile

long ta' do list.

impending imperfections ...

you know me

to combat the grime

I just keep re-arranging the pretties

think I'll sit and enjoy a glass of red

and toast the freshen-ed up dining room.

well, a girl can dream can't she?

dream of the book Fifi wrote

and how

she came here and waved her

magic Fifi wand.

All the while I just knew she could see the

grime-ies

out of the corner of her eye.

After the shoot,

Mark, her photographer was headed from Chicago

to Denver ... he actually asked me if he could

"throw a load of wash in" ...

I almost choked.

anywho,

back to dreaming

and

my glass of red.

are you pickin' up what I'm layn' down?

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ... LINK PARTY #3

2011-12-15T07:54:00.002-06:00

❅❅❅❅❅
with Christmas being so close
you may gather some in❅spiration here!!

come on out and play

link party number three!

you will be amazed at what you'll find!

CHECK OUT

THESE

THRIFT'N

❅thrillers❅

ROSEMARY

from

villabarnes

has a new project going as often as you blink!
as far as I know, she's out picking almost every day!

AMY
from
allthingshome
shows off the top of an outstanding jelly cupboard

bottles bottles everywhere
and I just have a feeling she found these
while out thirft'n!

take a really close look at the detials she's added
to the tops of the bottles!

look no further than my workbench

to find these repurposed

frames ...

fill them with mirrors or your favorite oil painting!

also from my workbench
thrift shop golf trophy
turned Christmas floral container ...
with a little vision and a lot of goo, this overlooked golf trophy
is home to a fabulous faux arrangement ...
you don't want to know how many layers of paint and goo it took to creat this look!

PATTIE
from
theshabbychick
has some
WOW factor going on here
please stop over and visit her
on a dime decor!!!
She's frugal and fearless!

they sell kitties at the thrift shop???

link guidelines:

add the URL to the post you are featuring

(not your entire blog)
PLEASE keep with the thrift shop find theme

have fun visiting each other

link back to savvycityfarmer

thanks for tagging along!!

SILVER BELLS ...

2011-12-12T08:29:00.000-06:00

without too much effort,

the ever growing collection

of hotel silver and silver plate expands ...

it started quite by accident

and has evolved into one of my favorite things around this old farmhouse ...

on this crisp cold winter-like evening ...

thought I host a little

silver tour ...

lids ... I love lonely, mismatched lids .... almost as much as the piece itself.

they're everywhere ... for just pennies ... usually the thrift shop or the

dealer just wants to be rid of them ...

they find refuge on my shelf!

... small hotel thermos in mint condition...

in the summertime we carry it outdoors with us ...

saves running in and out for more coffee ...

usually the hotel silver is marked ...

the name of the hotel, etc.

in many cases the words are worn beyond reading ...

however,

this lovely creamer

clearly boasts

"The Edgewater Beach Hotel"

Chicago

and its sugar mate

... all pitted and full of patina ...

also claims

The "Edgewater Beach Hotel" ...

be still my heart

❤❤❤

off in the distance I think

I hear

Silver Bells

have a beautiful new week ...

enjoy the season

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY ... #2

2011-12-08T12:59:00.000-06:00

I MUST SAY

I was so pleased with the first link party!

Many of you joined in even later in the week ...

... take a look at these fabulous thrifty finds ...

join in the fun

you might just make a new friend!

The Iowa Junk Gypsies

are rockn' the auction scene ...

they scour and devour!

Very sought after vendors at Chicagoland fleas.

what is it about a pile of frames?

Dore Callaway

from

Burlap Luxe

is always turning something into somethings else.

She paints, repurposes and make magic on wood!

You'll see ... if you visit her beautiful blog!

Studio Stuff ...

this girl just has a way with furniture!

check out what happened in this room ...

Bad Rabbit Vintage ...

oh yeah, she's bad ... watch out if you see her at auction!

She's a girl

on a mission ...

feast your eyes on this!

see what fun you can have ...

now

let's get thrift'n ...

link guidelines:

add the URL to the post you are featuring

(not your entire blog)

minimum three entries

regretfully no on line stores

link back to savvycityfarmer

thanks for tagging along.

JEANNE D'ARC LIVING WINTER

2011-12-06T10:09:00.002-06:00

... BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE ...

and if it isn't yet, it will be!

❅❅❅❅❅

I can think of ONE beautiful treasure that will warm you to the bone!

hot off the press the first week in January

THE JEANNE D'ARC LIVING WINTER EDITION!

... it's a great mystery ...

these beautiful issues just get better and better.

I have a limited supply ordered ...

if you want to be warmed to the bone

this winter ...

curl up with this gem!

if you're so inclined you may

pre-order now

at the very top of my sidebar ...

❅❅❅❅❅

Lifestyle, in a Class of its Own!

p.s.

the giveaway winner

will be announced tomorrow.

there is still time

to throw your name in the hat

❅❅❅❅❅

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY LINK PARTY #1

2011-12-03T11:26:00.004-06:00

THRIFT'N ON A THURSDAY

LINK PARTY #1

join us as we thrift our way through Thursdays ...

featured here FOUR FABULOUS FINDS!

please enjoy

these found treasures ... and home decor ideas

and be sure to visit any of the

blogs featured

and tell them

savvycityfarmer sent ya'

Join in the fun link festivities at the end of this post.

CORK WINE STOPPERS

A LAPIN LIFE ...

these would make a beautiful gift, well made and uber creative.

hand tailored and designed childrens clothing at

PARISIENNE FARMGIRL

plaid fabric rescued from a garage sale!

from my basement workbench ...

old blue spindles, turned icicles!

lots of glitter and goo ...

and finally

be-jeweled vintage bottles

SALVAGE DIOR

vintage jewels and religious icons added to crusty old haze-y bottles

fabulous!

~~~

link guidelines:

add the URL to the post you are featuring
(not your entire blog)
minimum three entries
regretfully no on line stores
have fun visiting each other
link back to savvycityfarmer

thanks for tagging along!!