I'm Tiiii-red!!

Mostly due to the fact that garage/estate sale season is in full swing...And my mother being an established antique dealer in town (due to the fact that she's been eeeeking (yikes) out a living from antiques for quite a while, as a space and store owner for years) was invited to an early preview estate sale. This estate was from a woman who was in town for a long time...And once owned Samuel Hill's warehouse, and ran it as a type of general store. So...there was all sorts of really neat things! I will post pictures soon...I went as a helper/picker so we could be a force to be reckoned with...the two of us...I wonder if it worked? (and I was up early...So, I am wiped out!)

SO...For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for the rest of my trip details...I will now do the next day, which I just realized I am a day off...as day one and the traveling day was the same day even though it was in actuality 2 separate days (time changes and whatnot)...so, I guess I'm on day 9...

Bomarzo Gardens...

This was an amazing garden...And crowded as it was the day after Easter, and a traditional day for picnicking with your family...and everyone else's apparently!!

All these statues are just huge...Apparently this man started carving all these and didn't have children...So no one to help him finish or even remember what was going on, as it was all overgrown and finally found by someone at some point in history! The picture of me and Thais in front of that big mouth/face has a wonderful stone table and chairs inside of it...Very fun! It is absolutely green and lush in this village...And the birds seem to sing all night and day in the country in Italy...It's just amazing!





We also had time to go to this little village for lunch and then a tour of another place which I can't seem to remember the name of off the top of my head (so much we did!)...Wait...it's the Vila Lante (thank you dad!!) We had wonderful gelatto here...banana, pistachio, and coconut! Then did a fun tour of this place with about a million different water features! And some great formal gardens...And a grotto (I seriously need to get one of these!). The funny thing was that the actual "palace"/residence was in 2 separate buildings that were actually quite small...But really wonderful none the less!





















































There were faces on all these stone vases and fases with water...everything had water coming out of it!




























The trees here were also amazing!



This was our last day in Italy...fun and good-bye to Italy for now, and I'm sure I will return!

Sunday May 7th...

Pariticipants:

• Kelli
• Mom
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira

...and Mr. Whyndam (who looks upon every ladder as a fun climbing challenge)

Well...we're considering changing Creative Sunday's to "fixing up our houses Sunday's". So, as you may have guessed...we were at my mom's house again painting even more of her kitchen! This day it was the floor. She was up at 8:30 (actually, knowing my mom...earlier than that)...and cleaning off the floor...well, as best as it can be cleaned (and leaving a thin layer of dirt over all the surfaces in the kitchen). To explain further, my mother bought a Queen Anne Victorian house a couple of years ago, at an estate sale, just knowing we would fix it up. Well, we were hopeful that we would indeed fix it up, but really the only experience we've had is various houses we've both owned in the past and a large history with the pouring over of various decorator magazines (where everything looks easy and doable). So, we may not be the weekend warriors we thought we were! This house had not been taken care of well, and verges on extremely neglected...and by an elderly smoker who was pretty blind by the time she passed away...so everything was in a bad state and kind of the same color of smoke stained (including the inside of the windows, carpet, walls...and every available surface).

The floors were covered (sort of...where it wasn't worn off) with linolium...and old paint. These pictures show the floor and the one on the right with the cupboards reflect a large part of the floor that was cut out by an overzealous contractor, ahem...Rather than sanding off old lead based paint...we just went ahead and painted them! There was one really large crack that my mom keeps loosing whole vitamins down, so she devised a system of rolled up felt that I crammed down there with the help of a screwdriver and then put some seriously smelly wood putty over the whole thing...and over some other various cracks (really we could've spent some serious $$ and really sealed up a lot of these cracks...but lack of time and $$) (ha)...and painted all the edges, while Kelli was in the small back room primering the walls and ceiling...then rolled all the paint on!

I love the way it turned out...it's really light and yummy, and makes the entire room more cohesive...probably because we chose all the colors from the same pallette. I think my mom was really wanting it to be darker, but we both agreed that any darker and it may have been too dark in the room! Also, a lot of the cracks still showed up, and we were tempted to just get another gallon of paint and spill it across the floor to fill them all up!

And all of this painting of the kitchen has inspired my mom to hang a really cute shelf with all sorts of fun stuff on it...or as she calls it, "give me 5 minutes and I can fill up shelves with all sorts of crap!" I just couldn't help but stand and admire the room for quite a bit of the rest of the afternoon...it just looks so much better! Bigger and brighterand cleaner. And we painted the back room too...the same color white as the kitchen walls, and it just lightens up the entire back of the house...especially when you stand and look from the living room through to the back! We were all a little slap happy by the end of the day, even Rozzilyn who picked up a brush and helped us paint as well...and my legs are quite sore today, but it was certainly worth it.

My mother Rozzie and I ended up with dinner on the patio here at my house, and a bonfire as well (with some Newman's oreo cookies, no less) I just love this time of year, being able to spend more time outside with everyone...in fact, I've spent the morning planting flowers, and cleaning up a bit around here (but just a bit!)

So...I've made a two page list of things I need done to my house...what do you say girls?

Next Sunday...?

The Trip-Day 7

Well...Up to one week in Italy aren't we? I was over at Marianne's house today showing off pictures, so I though I'd already done this! Sorry, another busy day at the shop finding me rushing home to see the last episodes of Will and Grace...how sad. I absolutely love that show...And then sitting in my chair gazing around the room saying hmmmm...the clean fairies have definitely not been here lately! I mean, what does the cat do all day long anyway? She could be helping out by organizing and cleaning...sheesh!

Oh yeah...she sits around and looks beautiful!

So, on this the seventh day of the Italy trip, it was Easter, and my birthday (and the pope's birthday too). Luciana had a large party of about 30 people, friends and family over for an Easter celebration...one which they also put candles in a little cake from Naples for me! The food was amazing...Lots of fresh salami and prosciutto ham, cheeses, a lamb, pasta and several loaves of really good bread, artichokes...And various other veggies and desserts! There were also pitchers of table wine made from the vineyards at the villa and olive oil made from their olive orchard...All organic thank you! It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, I did take a movie of the day with the bells from the distant mediaeval villages ringing in the distance, however, I have no idea how to publish them on the blog! And after this wonderful feast, I went on a walk with my dad in the countryside from the villa to the town to the villa again...a couple of hours at least. I think I got bit by something because I got a really weird rash on my legs in Prague later on...Then again, it could have been from all the walking around too...Who knows??
So, now I'm 36 sitting in such a different position than I ever thought I would be (and not just because I haven't moved from in front of the computer!) and wondering what the next year will hold for me?

The Trip-Day 6

Well...I'm realizing that it may take as long to post about the trip as it did to be on the trip itself! Then again, if I do one day of the trip a day on the blog...That would certainly make sense. OK...So here's my current state:

*I am thankful that Mr. Wyndham is home from the kitty hospital...all intact (and the bits that aren't are out of there!)

*I am absolutely freezing! It could be because I came home and plunked myself down, had a cold dinner, and have hardly moved since! Sitting staring off into space at times...The house needs a lot of work, and I just feel like sitting here...Not doing any of it (anyone who would like to help...feel free to contact me)

*I am oscillating between being joyful, and extremely sad...And wanting to eat all the chocolate in the house that isn't nailed down...Which has only succeeded in making me feel stuffed and slothy (plus...various parts of my body are sore...hmmmm sounds like something that happens every month)

* I am Feeling guilty because I should have gotten up and taken a huge walk, although someone just informed me that a gang of 5 girls is going around robbing people who are out walking around in my neighborhood...By gunpoint! Thank you Warren...I may never leave the house again!

Which is why it is so important to get back to the trip, as it just goes to prove that I've been somewhere (hahaha)

FLORENCE - FIRENZE

Can I say right now that Florence is still my favorite city in Italy? It is like a breath of fresh air! I wonder what it is about certain places that call out to you, that make you feel like home? I would absolutely love to spend a month exploring Florence. These first pictures are of the duomo...the magical crazy optically challenging green, pink, white, and black marble buildings are breathtaking! And the sound that chimes out of the bells in Giotto's tower is amazing! I actually hiked up that tower last time I was in Florence...Almost all the way to the top, but I was not in as good of shape as I am now, and coupled with the fear of heights thing...I didn't make it all the way to the top!

These are pictures of the Palazzo Della Signoria...this is the original location of the statue David was before they moved it to the Acadamia and out of the elements of the square, although there is a replica standing in the square...it looks a lot like the original (even though the last time I saw the original, it was covered by scaffolding!). A lot of really historically significant things happened in this square over the years...it is huge. Among the wonderful fountain is the great covered area that houses these wonderful statues! And since the Ufizzi was right there...and we didn't have a reservation, these were wonderful to see...for free!

And that is the view from the Ponte Vecchio...the famous bridge that houses all the gold and jewelry shops in Florence, spanning the river Arno. On the way to the Pitti Palace. Since I had already seen the inside of the palace...I opted to see the grounds with Patti, and the traveling erotic/love exhibit...The grounds were pretty low key as far as gardens go...And it was a warm day for a hike...But beautiful!





































And check out this grotto! This apparently is where the royal famiy would dine during the hot summers...











































I'm wondering what it would take to build one of these at Foolsewoode?

Patti and I then snuck out after the erotic exhibit...which was more nudes and love things than erotica...And was really wonderful, although I didn't get to take any pictures there (I saw the singlemost bautiful tapesty ever!!)...and went for a brief afternoon of shopping...a wonderful day... Ciao Firenze...until next time!

The Trip-Day 5

Assisi and Deruta...

Today saw us in Assisi at a fabulous restaurant (yes, my dad will indeed drive 2 hours for food...Love it?!) This was a beautiful day, all sunny and warm, and Assisi is located at the top of a mountain/hill. Come to think of it, all these mediaeval villages are located at the top of hills...dotting the Italian countryside...First you see the walls, then the "castle" and then the chapel rising above it all. Assisi actually has 2 (maybe more) chapels, but we only got to a certain piazza (where the restaurant was, and gellato! OH, and some wonderful shop where I bought some balsamic vinegar) then back to the chapel of St. Frances.

Assisi must be the SanFrancisco of Italy...we walked straigt up some of these streets to get around, and when we weren't walking straight up the streets, we were walking straight up some stairs...I know you walk a lot in Europe, but I was convinced that I was going to have to run up and down my stairs daily because I was going to miss walking up stairs! And we found the greatest little shop on the main street where I bought 2 really cute bags (no pictures, but I am loving them!) AND...The views were wonderful after walking straight up...

The chapel of St. Frances was really wonderful too...Although really crowded, it hung right on the edge of the mountain. I unfortunately, was not able to take pictures inside the chapel, but trust me, the frescoes were wonderful! And there was some really great chairs around the front of the chapel, all carved with various saints and angles (men and women, thank you)

After spending some time wandering around the chapel, we all piled into the car for a quick trip to Deruta...I was after some more masks, the ones with all the fruits, flowers...And nuts (the ones like I picked up in Orvieto)...But alas, no matter how we searched, we could not find any...I was lucky to have gotten the 3 that I did. Although, I am sad I do not have any with vegetables, I will be happy to have the ones I have hanging above my doorways! Deruta is a quaint village and all of the stores specialize in the type of pottery they make in Deruta...With different artists in each one. I love, love, love the pottery from Italy, I am amazed by the colors, designs and movement on each piece!! And I scored a wonderful coffee/tea cup with dragons on it!

This is a little altar made of tiles at the entrance of Deruta...right where you park your car!

Sunday April 31st...

Participants:

• Kelli
• Rozzilyn
  
• Sadira
• Susan
  

Wow...What a couple of productive days! I won't go into what all I did today, because I didn't take any pictures (lucky you!) but let's just say, it was quite a lot, in which I ended up with a really clean front yard, porch, and front of the house...a large pile of clothes to get rid of, and all my summer clothes upstairs! But, yesterday...What a day! We spent Creative Sunday at my mom's house...Creating a beautiful space for her...(I know, finally!)

BEFORE

And...AFTER...

A sparkly new paint job on an otherwise dirty fireplace! Most of that smoke and grime was there before my mother even moved in to the house...it was a bit grimy (to say the least) when she bought the house. And since this is one of the only sources of heat in the house, it gets used a lot...Plus there was a small fire in the chimney this year as well...So, a lot of smoke found it's way into the house. Although this may be the largest and ugliest fireplace ever built in a home (you should see the size of the room, it's not quite big enough to warrant quite this size fireplace) we all agreed that painting it was an improvement!

And the next job (yes, we did this all in one day) My mom did the fireplace, and Kelli and I did the kitchen...While Rozzie entertained us...

BEFORE...

The entire kitchen had already been drywalled...the walls and the ceiling...so we primered it the walls and ceiling and then painted...And painted...And painted...Luckily we had primered the trim cupboards and shelves sometime earlier! I absolutely love to paint, ask anyone I know...But even I, at the end of the day was tired and ready for it to be over! And after seeing the results, all clean and matching and colorful, it was well worth it...

AFTER...

The kitchen is full of cute original details...Like the cutout above the stove, the built in shelves and the little feet on the bottom of the cabinets (which I didn't take a picture of)...And this type of painting really enhances the fun stuff packed into this space. My mom picked out all of the colors, and as I usually go for light colors on the trim and the cabinets of my houses, I was really surprised and excited about the way it turned out. She has marble on her countertops and the color green she picked out really enhances them. And with all the walls, wainscoting and ceiling the same colors, it makes the kitchen more unified, brighter and it actually looks bigger!

Next, we are going to do the pantry/herb storage, and then the floor.