dear ellen,

oh my gosh. i thought all those pics from 'cool happy colors' looked familiar. ellen, those are amazing. you are sneaky!

neutral palette

Dear Ellen,

Here are some beautiful shoes that didn't fit, a picture from Martha Stewart of a kitchen with a stainless stove and a white sink NOT clashing, and the color I painted my living room. When in doubt, paint something. I must be in doubt a lot....

Clean Plate Club

Dear Hannah,

I am so proud of you!

love,
Ellen

Ps. Cool happy colors

Schmutz

Dear Ellen, I have been rinsing my plates. I thought you'd be proud.

White up my life (in the kitchen)

more info needed

So, I love the faucets! Um, are the Ikea? Not nice! You have to share those details. :) Did you get your sink yet? What color are you going to paint the bathroom again? I want to see pics of all your loot and booty. Actually, I already have a pic of your booty....

more pics from when you were here

Remodeling a bathroom while married

Dear Hannah,

We found mold in the master bathroom in our new house. Bad news: we have to spend a lot of money. Good news: we get to remodel a bathroom that is arts-and-crafts ugly. Bad news: the hubby and I don't agree on the design of the new b'room. grr.

Here's what I like:
white bathrooms


these ones too:


Here's where the compromise is going:



Here's the awesome faucets we bought:


Also, we ordered a sink from my favorite potter, Linda Sharpless. Here is a map of North Carolina potters near Penland School of Crafts (my heaven) where you can find her info. I'll post a picture when it arrives! It is cobalt blue and SO PRETTY!

So, what do you think???

xoxo,
Ellen

MOdern nOsTalGIa!!

OH, yes yes yes yes!! I'm still reading the articles but that name just clicks!! YES!!!

Modern Nostalgia

Dear Hannah,

It's real! I thought I just pulled this name out of you-know-where. Look!
There's a
book
article
furniture
another article (love this one!)
photos
blog

still looking for more...

love,
Ellen

Oh, Canada!

Dear Hannah,

I went to Canada! It was a wonderful cruise with the hubby's family to celebrate his parents' 40th anniversary. Thanks you MIL and FIL for an awesome trip!

When we arrived in Montreal, we found out that we were buying a house! FROM CANADA! According to hubby's best friend, "It's the most Jay Z thing you will ever do!" This is the moment we found out we were getting the house.



Montreal was amazing: it felt European and American all at the same time!



Sometimes I wish I was Catholic so that I could look at these candles every Sunday. These were at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal.



These were my two favorite stained glass windows at ND because they are so historically inaccurate. The church founders wanted to depict Canadian history instead of church history in their windows, but like many North Americans, they got it wrong. These images portray misleading stereotypes that I do not support, but they are beautiful and ironic (women were not the main purveyors of fiber arts in the 1600s, men were, and the Algonquins in Canada did not live in tee-pees, they lived in long houses or wetus).



Shhhhhh!



Yard Art:



Mmmmm......



Coolest hotel lobby ever



AMAZING hard cider/cidre



PEI: Anne of Green-freaking Gables!!!!!



Lunch on PEI at PEI Preserve Co.



I like lobster!



I want this table (but not really) from the Preserve Company store. Best preserves. Ever. Strawberry Grand Marnier, Blueberry Raspberry Champagne... need I say more?



Maple leaves in Canada



Canadian ice cream at Cows. I've been to 3 of the top 10!



Sunset from the cruise ship



The cutest tugboat in the world!



Back in the States: Bar Harbor (Bah Hahbah, or something like that). Amazing rock beaches, cute houses, the president, and more lobster!





The Grand Finale: Boston

pastries



duckies



history: the cemetery where Benjamin Franklin is buried, a woman's suffragist memorial, and the first public school (where B.F. learned his ABCs).



It was a great trip!

love,
Ellen