More and More.

Do you know that because I live in such a backwoods area as far as good taste and refinement are concerned  I have to source fabrics online?  I got these snazzy fabrics last week.  They are all heavy weight decorators cotton with the look of linen.  Okay, I did find the floral at the only fabric store in the whole city. (And they wonder why people shop online.)

I don't know why the gray fabric looks so light.  It's actually quite dark.    I'm going to put zippers in the covers and make them 18" square.  I do have a couple of 16" envelope back covers made because my minion forgot to cut them the right size.  Should I fire him? Should I make the pillows larger than 18"?  Will these pillows solve world peace? I'm in need of your opinions  people.

Broken Item of the Week.

Here we go again, Gentle Readers.  I present to you our Broken Item of the Week.

Why what is it?  you may ask.  It is our satellite video receiver.  This is the only way we can get television out here in the sticks.  They don't even have cable out here.  So we are without TV for about a week. I really don't mind, we have hardly been watching anything this winter except for Fringe and of course it was on last night.  Ah well.  At least I didn't break it and there are only two of us here.  I'm not naming names or anything.

The Real Deal.

Since many of you wanted to see the layout of the upstairs hall from yesterday's post, I will oblige.  Just remember it is unstaged and unedited and Mr LC is a major critic of my little video.  Humph!

He's all 'why didn't you show the door latches, they're hand forged.  Or the doors with the wide panels?'  Those are for another day Mr LC.  I need post material my good man.

Anyway, I hope this gives you some idea of the hall.

I Can't Believe I'm Showing You.

I've been busy lately Gentle Readers. In an effort to entertain you I'm going to show you my upstairs hall.  I stripped off some nasty paper and painted the walls last fall when the cat was away in the Dominican Republic.  It's still not done up but I want you to look at my old dresser.

I think a lot of girls had a similar one when they were teens or younger.  It's really beat up.  My girls used it lovingly. That wall was once the end of the house and is covered in wide horizontal boards.  I don't think I should paint it, do you?  Remember, this house was built in 1802.

There are all kinds of stains and smudges that just won't come off.  I've seen lots of pictures on the Internets of ones that people have made over.

                                                                               source

Or, this one.

                                                                         source

Here's the other end of the hall.

Is that hall gorgeous or what!  Don't you love the colour (gag) of the floor? The staircase is just past the pine dresser and you can see a couple of shelves over it.  My paint brush wouldn't reach that far so of course it isn't painted yet.

So dear Readers, I would like some advice on what colour to paint that dresser.  It isn't going downstairs in one piece because we had to take out a wall to get it up there, so I'm stuck with it.  Should I paint it some bright happy colour like red or turquoise?  Maybe a sedate gray or pale aqua. I bought some great drawer pulls majorly on sale some time ago for it. Please help.  Maybe your input will make me gitter done. Or not.

p.s. To cheer me you up here's a photo of my grand baby that daughter #1 just posted on Facebook with her Iphone.  These high tech youngins!

It's Raining Pillows.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I know you've missed me.  We are up to our ears in pillow supplies here at the LC.

The sewing machine has been running at full bore.

The silk screen has been silking right along in fine style.

The orders are piling up.  We had to make a trek into the city to get more fabric.  I'm so excited!  Only 400 more pillows and I'll have enough for a ticket to Australia.  Don't look for me anytime soon ladies.

Being Proactive.

Dear old Mr LC loves to have a sweet or two to munch on while sipping his tea in front of the fire.

Can you believe someone put this photo on Pinterest? Me either.

When there is nothing to munch on, he starts to whine.  So in order to head off the whining session I decided to bake some cookies today for him.

Look at my fancy photographing skills.

I should be a food stylist, no?

Now head on into the kitchen and make some cookies. Here's the receipt* if you would like to try them:

Brown Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening.  Add brown sugar and cream well.  Add egg. Sift flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt together. (I don't sift.)  Add to the first mixture.  Add vanilla. Drop with a teaspoon on a baking sheet. (I don't grease mine.) Press down slightly with two fingers.  Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes. Makes around 30 cookies.

I'm not eating them so they should last for a day or two.  A good blogging buddy told me that when they have nothing to talk about they talk about food.  You know who you are.  Peace out.

* Back in the Dark Ages recipes were called receipts.  Really.  Just ask me.

Another Fifteen Minutes.

Some of you dear readers who have been reading my blog for awhile might remember this post in which I talked about being in a magazine and how that turned out.

Today my daughter picked up the new February/March issue of HGTV magazine and lo and behold, the pillow I told you about here is in there:

According to the internets, it came out today.


My daughter did some international travel today and found it in Maine.  Of course she bought a copy for me.  I opened the magazine in nervous excitement and anticipation.

I found my pillow on page 54.  Do you notice anything? Do you?  DO YOU?

Do you see my photo of the pillow?  Now look at this one again:

Why do I even bother? WHY? WHY? WHY?

All I can do is laugh.  You laugh too.  We'll be laughing around the world.  The end.

Sassy Undercover!

Sassy, our Intrepid Wonder Horse, has found a new calling in life.

Whoa there Sassy!

She thinks she's a spy.  She's wearing camouflage!

I'm not sure who she's trying to blend in with.  Is that a tiger or a leopard she's impersonating? If so, she's living in the wrong jungle here.

Whoever you're trying to be Sassy, you're not fooling us here at the LC.

Say Hello to My New Little Friend.

I was not at all happy with my apron photos in my Etsy shop so I got some photos taken of a gal modeling the aprons.  While this was happening Mr LC and I ventured into town yesterday to buy some fabric.  After that I suggested that we go to Winners/Homesense to see what we couldn't afford to buy.

Lo and behold I met my new friend!

She's French!

Look how much better my aprons look now!

Can you tell I'm excited??!!!

Big Box Shopping.

A couple of months ago I saw this blog post by Brooklyn Limestone.  The post shows how to make designs on dishes.  The script plate she showed was so pretty that I wanted to try it. Here's a photo:

link

So I looked on the internets for the special  brand of marker that she used to write on porcelain.  The price was good and the shipping reasonable so I ordered one.

Google images

I received a box at the door this morning from the mail lady.

After rummaging around in the box for a minute I pulled out all the packing paper.  This is what I found at the very bottom of the box:

A six inch marker in a 12x8x4 box.

  link

I know More is More, but isn't this a bit of overkill???

Mr. LC: Fashion Forward?

I've been perusing other blogs lately and have noticed that most of the posts written in the last day or two are about accomplishments the blogger has made during 2011.  Some list their most popular posts or hopes for 2012.  I'm going to talk about Mr LC and the headgear worn by him during the past year.  Hold on to your hats, you're in for a treat.

My perennial favourite, the ball cap worn during flea marketing when it's too hot to breathe.

The wild and exciting scary actually 'do rag'. This is standard apparel for motorcyclists around these parts. Note: Mr. LC does not possess a motorcycle.

The standard Canadian toque with extra added ear flaps and tassels. ( I believe daughter was given this hat by a local brewery whilst in university.)

The winter scarf turned turban look. ( Please excuse the gold dollar store deer in the background.  Mr LC insists upon placing it in a prominent position every Christmas.)


Due to the severity of our winter conditions and the shortness of his hair,  Mr LC likes to come up with his own in-home style solutions.
Thank you Mr LC for your gracious approval of this blog post.  You are a tip top hat gentleman and a scholar.

Now Mr LC and all the inhabitants of the Loyalist Cottage wish you a bright and happy new year filled with many successes along the way.

New year's eve at the Loyalist Cottage

Oh, come on.  I bet your New Year's Eve was just as exciting as ours. And, I'm even showing you the ugly television!