New Listings and French Country Kitchens

At last I have put a few more things into my shop! Aye!

Nothing too exciting, some brag books -which I had said I would make no more of, yes, but they are so highly sought after that I had to churn some out. Though I probably won't become a millionaire (please read that word like Regis used to say it) they are quite enjoyable to make. The sewing aspect actually gets my sewing machine out, which I love, and it continues to sit out since I have a creative urge to work on other projects big and small (ADD?).

I also have a couple more leather book keychains in my shop which would make a good little valentine gift.

In may spare time I have been house hunting with Peter. We have looked at quite a few farmhouses between New Ulm and St. Peter. All of them are very different making this project super frustrating and exhausting. It seems farmsteads can go many ways.

1. They can remain somewhat close to how they began, a humble home with a big kitchen and really thin windows.

2. They can get torn down by a tornado and a new efficient (and expensive) home will be set in it's place.

3. They can be remodeled so many times that you don't know what the heck is going on anymore. Some homes are houses added to other houses.

They're all different distances from nearby towns which makes them even harder to compare.

So, I have been focusing mostly on the land since I hope to once again make some money growing things from the ground. One place has the most darling chicken coop which immediately makes me want to move in. Fredrik needs to be chasing chickens.

Some of the homes, the ones in the categories not involving a tornado, are a bit of blank slate as far as decorating which jars my brain out of living-in-a-rental mode and into obsessively looking at "French Country" websites.

I was very happy to today figure out that "French Country" is my home decor style of choice (I have a category!). It took many looks at Ikea, Home Depot, and other such sites before I figured out French Country. I just don't love modern and modern just looks strange in an old farmhouse, I think. Plus, the few pieces of furniture we now have (thanks, mom!) will fit right into this genre.

I'm really jumping the gun by researching flooring and heating systems, but, I figured the time will soon be upon us when these decisions will be necessary and I will try not to be overwhelmed. Plus, it's fun.

Flooring! I looked through all these options on the home depot site, just to realize that anything I like is about $7/sq. foot. Yikes. Then I was brought back to our home in Superior where we stripped the floor down, layer by layer, staple by freaking staple, and it was a lovely wood floor. Better yet, I LOVE the painted floor look so this is what I will opt for if the opportunity arrises. Though French Country floors are usually stone or tile, I can't afford that, and painted wood is also very popular with furniture, so why not floors?

Example from this Design Sponge before and after:

I would live here, yes. I love the ceiling, and chandelier, and fireplace, and the table, though I would probably opt for an island since it's a good height for...cooking.

And here for sure. Pots must hang. Plants, wood, wine...

and here (in Provence) with the herbs and dried things, thick butcher block, bottles upon bottles of oils and vinegars, and that wood under the island - is that liming? I always like that.

French Country decorating philosophy requires the kitchen to be as big as possible, since life revolves around cooking and eating, and you are either cooking, eating, or sitting in the kitchen trying to be close to the action of someone else's cooking. Cooking pots, pottery, ingredients, etc. are also in plain view most of the time, for ease of use. And, to show off your fancy stuff. Agreeable!