Restoring Charm

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReGouTgcCJTAE3bB3UCXonhlaPe_Vw-PqViv3qvzXShQJCDAhJSaPtP2ZyDr4_ON0VuRr_Tq-sy2Q3PqWgTexHN6Lhp5kR55aUiDJV_WPVFiFR2iEH5HzCX-LXSW9wuyTGWcfy82fHcY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-04+at+8.49.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReGouTgcCJTAE3bB3UCXonhlaPe_Vw-PqViv3qvzXShQJCDAhJSaPtP2ZyDr4_ON0VuRr_Tq-sy2Q3PqWgTexHN6Lhp5kR55aUiDJV_WPVFiFR2iEH5HzCX-LXSW9wuyTGWcfy82fHcY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-04+at+8.49.29+PM.png" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGU6s167M4ru4k5D91ngK_Yofe2OVco6as3uu_qap9WDQCXN5fiNnaTRbtyRxckMBu_NK6S-ZELrZfqz23vlap2_Em1wbGlcmx7EflTN9IGTLyfLAIlH3-oYcxdGP7rEBoKXelLe87vw/s1600/shutters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGU6s167M4ru4k5D91ngK_Yofe2OVco6as3uu_qap9WDQCXN5fiNnaTRbtyRxckMBu_NK6S-ZELrZfqz23vlap2_Em1wbGlcmx7EflTN9IGTLyfLAIlH3-oYcxdGP7rEBoKXelLe87vw/s1600/shutters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>       <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2013/10/a-bewitching-old-stone-house-in-the-hudson-valley.html" target="_blank">Remodelista:  A Bewitching Old Stone House</a>                                                            <a href="http://www.oldhousedreams.com/2012/04/09/1750-colonial-milford-new-jersey-725000/" target="_blank">Old House Dreams</a></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8S4lVhIuBJPP-yhHuWlvztov2vZuzPuxTCWi6Up5NCPQhCPkBOq95VfjttjLaMVS1IKEE26hvhDJvln37zedBnS2aJoVlHHEkfmwIix5SQXn2nSy40GVSUQqqXBdxyo3rUHiL4MgVAk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.14.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8S4lVhIuBJPP-yhHuWlvztov2vZuzPuxTCWi6Up5NCPQhCPkBOq95VfjttjLaMVS1IKEE26hvhDJvln37zedBnS2aJoVlHHEkfmwIix5SQXn2nSy40GVSUQqqXBdxyo3rUHiL4MgVAk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.14.46+PM.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9coi3QZft7WxZ9HVCUwx_szPlgBJHJQJ8z94NSKSz2D0xb-WkQ3DAE3q8Kbt9HyFYNl3pdJOghetAwDixYSWeqTBwpNNqgeGS6w3Y29fF8Bk6pPMKPobh-PeiGJC5lNSgJXLX7KkgdM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.13.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9coi3QZft7WxZ9HVCUwx_szPlgBJHJQJ8z94NSKSz2D0xb-WkQ3DAE3q8Kbt9HyFYNl3pdJOghetAwDixYSWeqTBwpNNqgeGS6w3Y29fF8Bk6pPMKPobh-PeiGJC5lNSgJXLX7KkgdM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.13.34+PM.png" width="265" /></a></div>                                 <span style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://acountryfarmhouse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In the Fields</a>                                                                  <a href="http://www.madelinestuart.com/interiors.php" target="_blank">Madeline Stuart</a></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was talking with someone about renovating an old house a few months ago and I came to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the conclusion that my goal isn't always "renovation" as much as it is "restoring charm."  One </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">of the things I love about old houses are the details, sometime quirks, that they have.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUoAfVbr8QoKZTPRGdED6dmljyPC00ZnLMr5hhxb9OoVlbJMpWqsWkYXslt-kPpolKiewchd71EWqordksLri49yo0Jr-wTiL7MQbL8PowwRKS8sHUU1yeom4eEh2h1aKzOapjoCyzyc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.15.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUoAfVbr8QoKZTPRGdED6dmljyPC00ZnLMr5hhxb9OoVlbJMpWqsWkYXslt-kPpolKiewchd71EWqordksLri49yo0Jr-wTiL7MQbL8PowwRKS8sHUU1yeom4eEh2h1aKzOapjoCyzyc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.15.50+PM.png" width="496" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Darryl Carter's Living Room</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl-b_dTTUSk8zbQdKa6Hb7opLdIhKJnhArhbN6Kjr96TWjz0P7eacEz57r8T64oEScxbhKt5TMniIqHIvZ8T4YGjCQh3ANh7k5zfs6MifOlkLcqdJkALK4cZRkz9Nj_U7FjUTR-12Q0E/s1600/shutters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl-b_dTTUSk8zbQdKa6Hb7opLdIhKJnhArhbN6Kjr96TWjz0P7eacEz57r8T64oEScxbhKt5TMniIqHIvZ8T4YGjCQh3ANh7k5zfs6MifOlkLcqdJkALK4cZRkz9Nj_U7FjUTR-12Q0E/s1600/shutters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Darryl Carter, same room, different view</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of my favorite details are shutters and moldings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(While Darryl's shutters seem more decoration than original details, I like how he's paired</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the shutters with roman blinds of the same color as a window treatment.  I also notice he</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">typically uses shutters that cover about 2/3 of the window.  I need to add, I love this room!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jl29TK02P6H999A0i178fbftZmaDdQ59TUEAWSc8MdzSfcfeQqGV4xW2oToA5vJz4H9BBmaELifKMDa-zTimcAQlBTLxf7B4m6JM5fRdDCIEopZ7BTTS_-LHZyhuDyIswr0koriRTzM/s1600/IMG_3518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jl29TK02P6H999A0i178fbftZmaDdQ59TUEAWSc8MdzSfcfeQqGV4xW2oToA5vJz4H9BBmaELifKMDa-zTimcAQlBTLxf7B4m6JM5fRdDCIEopZ7BTTS_-LHZyhuDyIswr0koriRTzM/s1600/IMG_3518.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shutters, in particular, are really common on old New England houses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish I could find the photographs of my old condo; it had shutters that</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">folded back into the wall.  I'll show you if I can find them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is one the charming old houses in Marblehead, Massachusetts that</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">looks still has its original shutters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUx6YqSFXjCiq-B_3OS7eacfWuHemMa-dmkhy5_kgyC9QjDTVxGkH-Ucir5q0bEZetC7voSiAgyLspuynkohyWkhkYVcsCZRfdYYzTTwtWLZI-0kWkN3VvXd4WegQbUuw0zGxPUy_few/s1600/IMG_3519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUx6YqSFXjCiq-B_3OS7eacfWuHemMa-dmkhy5_kgyC9QjDTVxGkH-Ucir5q0bEZetC7voSiAgyLspuynkohyWkhkYVcsCZRfdYYzTTwtWLZI-0kWkN3VvXd4WegQbUuw0zGxPUy_few/s1600/IMG_3519.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shutters are also great for privacy if your house is right on the street.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EpJ5l7Nnq0osd6zJLJK-tB800wtmT169DR754ZmYJdXD5LlQ7NBK2Sah-MxHIKZAkyvD27ep271FdrMjChIrNjzv1WASNbQyzLKCStXVGQ4qxpVfkg0A4zcMs-grjDTnIwjUcfAjVMc/s1600/IMG_1199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EpJ5l7Nnq0osd6zJLJK-tB800wtmT169DR754ZmYJdXD5LlQ7NBK2Sah-MxHIKZAkyvD27ep271FdrMjChIrNjzv1WASNbQyzLKCStXVGQ4qxpVfkg0A4zcMs-grjDTnIwjUcfAjVMc/s1600/IMG_1199.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I believe my house was originally built for laborers so there aren't a lot </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">of fancy details; in fact, in typical Yankee style, the detailed mouldings</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">were installed only in the living room where guests would see them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now that I've replaced all of the windows downstairs, I thought adding shutters </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to all the windows would be a way to add charm and provide a privacy solution </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">since my house is so close to the street.  So last summer I took down my drapes </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and rods so I could try living with the windows open and uncovered during </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the day.  I found that when it's light outside, you really can't see in at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had just a few months earlier, seen Loi install shutters in <a href="http://toneontoneantiques.blogspot.com/2014/04/sharing-paint-colors.html" target="_blank">his Maine house</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">so I contacted his source, Shutterworks in Lewiston, Maine, to see if they'd (A)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">provide me an estimate and (B) be willing to work with me long-distance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The price seemed really good and yes, if I measured carefully, they would</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">make the shutters and I would drive up to pick them up so save shipping costs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0RgNls6cQFCW3wRtg3kbyWi-u4MuNzKX2LHVncMJ6MtNgPEQvlZ0xgIKLYnC1rJnftY6EYivtPM8qxyx7bB0Mb44KuVba6SiDocGiaZxnXAZgovW7CSmDwRBhKMXg6f1KAOLsjuR7os/s1600/IMG_1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0RgNls6cQFCW3wRtg3kbyWi-u4MuNzKX2LHVncMJ6MtNgPEQvlZ0xgIKLYnC1rJnftY6EYivtPM8qxyx7bB0Mb44KuVba6SiDocGiaZxnXAZgovW7CSmDwRBhKMXg6f1KAOLsjuR7os/s1600/IMG_1503.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fred at Shutterworks does almost every style of shutter imaginable </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">so my task was to choose something that "fit" the house.  I decided to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">base the shutter panels for the windows on the panels in my tiny basement </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">door which I believe to be original to the house.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAnHrYKlW23TywfdHe3wTMFmT2OwcbYgAlNPhZnMvvrBihAN6Qn8MOhe16unGskYm0lhA2kotuhbWXGPk_WdkGPNAz793JlpsyszPuOPf5-hgDxtSL_cqPXukfjoz02eyFUt8zDhhYs/s1600/IMG_1621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAnHrYKlW23TywfdHe3wTMFmT2OwcbYgAlNPhZnMvvrBihAN6Qn8MOhe16unGskYm0lhA2kotuhbWXGPk_WdkGPNAz793JlpsyszPuOPf5-hgDxtSL_cqPXukfjoz02eyFUt8zDhhYs/s1600/IMG_1621.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just to make sure I liked it, I asked Fred to make</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">me up a sample so I could see what it looked like.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the "Urban Cottage" shutter was born.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I carefully measured each of the windows--three times each--and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sent the measurements off to Fred.  I think it took about two months</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for building and painting the shutters and I drove up to Lewiston the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">week before Christmas to pick them up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzurnUv9y2hL0DfkABDQYyftldxB-LdMC4h_gFWsPVx0O-hdoOlfvsDMweVxlXN2JGCkvvbXHzMEz-KPRnjEPWuBVogQx-BUkftixZBkAxeGmtPyLpSIVsTySPyx8WliqlqyI7D63GrSk/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzurnUv9y2hL0DfkABDQYyftldxB-LdMC4h_gFWsPVx0O-hdoOlfvsDMweVxlXN2JGCkvvbXHzMEz-KPRnjEPWuBVogQx-BUkftixZBkAxeGmtPyLpSIVsTySPyx8WliqlqyI7D63GrSk/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" width="539" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here they are!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fred works with a painter so I was able to get them spray painted before the pairs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">were assembled.  I used Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKuSzmkVFA5iZ7eVuSvvySSmde9tts8nINr_n1XNIZaeeiyyPee2dAywZziR84_0hFsH9mtuk7s8K1rXZe_wX4NAFbzy6XQcnX9XkXxV7FTSQBIs0lzCybrjlSPT1RcH8APaL5zya3RE/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKuSzmkVFA5iZ7eVuSvvySSmde9tts8nINr_n1XNIZaeeiyyPee2dAywZziR84_0hFsH9mtuk7s8K1rXZe_wX4NAFbzy6XQcnX9XkXxV7FTSQBIs0lzCybrjlSPT1RcH8APaL5zya3RE/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So my first project of the year is getting these installed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm looking forward to the old New England charm these </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">will bring to my downstairs.  </div></div>

Restoring Charm

       Remodelista:  A Bewitching Old Stone House                                                            Old House Dreams                                  In the Fields                                                                  Madeline StuartI was talking with someone about renovating an …

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Happy New Year 2015

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE73LsjsiXtMvI1gy6ZNVXs6LkX-TbTvYJP-ZTTKyOdVG19kXMCDQb-dUggJR4EMxoJrIh5quCCvQJUW8WQtgekYr00hwNCQIIwR5NifbuIY48rW3zZv2ah6PAjG-lzJidGmYVTzL8Syk/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE73LsjsiXtMvI1gy6ZNVXs6LkX-TbTvYJP-ZTTKyOdVG19kXMCDQb-dUggJR4EMxoJrIh5quCCvQJUW8WQtgekYr00hwNCQIIwR5NifbuIY48rW3zZv2ah6PAjG-lzJidGmYVTzL8Syk/s1600/IMG_2235.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I always think of my grandmother on New Year's Day.  She was a very superstitious woman </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">even though I now suspect many of her beliefs were made up to keep my brother and me in line.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But she was clear about New Year's Day:  what you did on this day determined your fate for </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the next year.  Things such as cleaning the house or doing laundry would certainly doom you </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a year filled with endless housework for the next year.  I wish she were still alive today so I </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">could get some clarifications on things such as painting window mullions, blogging, cooking, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">or even eating for that matter, because I don't know if these are positive or negative endeavors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm also not sure where she would fall on issue of undecorating the Christmas tree.  It certainly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">includes a cleaning component.  But this New Year's Day has become my traditional day to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">undecorate and take down the tree.  There's just something about cleaning up, putting away and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">cleaning up that feels to me like a good way to start a new year.  And, even if she would claim it's wrong, I would argue it's a perfect way to spend a few moments thinking of her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">However you spend this first day of the year, I wish you best throughout the new year!</div></div>

Happy New Year 2015

I always think of my grandmother on New Year's Day.  She was a very superstitious woman even though I now suspect many of her beliefs were made up to keep my brother and me in line.  But she was clear about New Year's Day:  what you did on this day determined your fate for the next year.  Things suc…

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Merry Christmas 2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpEpsVLDO1vtywFNCgZcaGmTZc_Nfs6pqCMxc6-92p8ZmEl7mlNSm0RWQaAB4iYk8flK0ApwUsKe43t6LJO_gMLR0NKNmwPxI4vwh9ISec7qHto1OWOMtCRU2RvIGi_BIklqpBoxqT-g/s1600/IMG_2218a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpEpsVLDO1vtywFNCgZcaGmTZc_Nfs6pqCMxc6-92p8ZmEl7mlNSm0RWQaAB4iYk8flK0ApwUsKe43t6LJO_gMLR0NKNmwPxI4vwh9ISec7qHto1OWOMtCRU2RvIGi_BIklqpBoxqT-g/s1600/IMG_2218a.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had big plans for the Christmas tree this year.  I ordered a Silvertip </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and had it shipped from California.  Itplanned it to arrive the first week of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">December and after my office move I was going full-on in to Christmas decorating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The office move went perfectly and the next day I came down with the flu.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am thankful that the flu waited until the move was done I was </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">disappointed I just didn't have the energy to do everything I wanted to.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCc0AgLSauZEtFb2GVRLYdHdw8r3NX-Jp3iC4w2T1O5CFRxsNnrkpjbm43ELAXSs-r2gC3yKUD-0PRyUYSQC5X-ORA6IY-dx5XNyNoeNcyQ8j01YNtHiC9CthyphenhyphenOimyhusv19r4z2vHqw/s1600/IMG_2183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCc0AgLSauZEtFb2GVRLYdHdw8r3NX-Jp3iC4w2T1O5CFRxsNnrkpjbm43ELAXSs-r2gC3yKUD-0PRyUYSQC5X-ORA6IY-dx5XNyNoeNcyQ8j01YNtHiC9CthyphenhyphenOimyhusv19r4z2vHqw/s1600/IMG_2183.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Silvertip trees grow naturally in layers, very much like</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://anurbancottage.blogspot.com/2011/12/tree.html" target="_blank">the tree I created a few years ago</a>.  Pottery Barn uses these trees</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for their catalog, although looking at <a href="http://blog.potterybarn.com/the-story-behind-pottery-barns-holiday-catalog-trees/" target="_blank">this post about their trees</a>, it's</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">clear they must still do some trimming to get that spare feather tree look.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos_8JLJ88-QbR8WXN56EVnBGle_uN3OrtV8HVs470LmbZsR-GL5zddOA9HwqOYqf_sNKMEzk72LPN7HyUtQ_Kun5iJ_3dHvvotKuezj-XilWSGKtDhV8-iRcAXm29PsTOdV7jqBMKqzM/s1600/IMG_2201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos_8JLJ88-QbR8WXN56EVnBGle_uN3OrtV8HVs470LmbZsR-GL5zddOA9HwqOYqf_sNKMEzk72LPN7HyUtQ_Kun5iJ_3dHvvotKuezj-XilWSGKtDhV8-iRcAXm29PsTOdV7jqBMKqzM/s1600/IMG_2201.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I've done a much scaled back tree using some things I could easily</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">get my hands on.  It's mainly pine cone garlands, birds, and leftover</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">flowers from Thanksgiving and flowers and leaves from the garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGqoKWDQoWcTabbfK02fiKc_wEcebL66FBtQWBX74TnGIKcee3NcZDvMWdNaguafloFzdS4nPTaMI7EMqSshyphenhyphenrKl6ouefEWLVl-JpSFjBIz7KrK-A7eIESVzUUMzcOZND3PvO2a7v_So/s1600/IMG_2196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGqoKWDQoWcTabbfK02fiKc_wEcebL66FBtQWBX74TnGIKcee3NcZDvMWdNaguafloFzdS4nPTaMI7EMqSshyphenhyphenrKl6ouefEWLVl-JpSFjBIz7KrK-A7eIESVzUUMzcOZND3PvO2a7v_So/s1600/IMG_2196.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even though it wasn't the tree I planned, I still love it.  As much as </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I cherish all my collection of vintage, shiny ornaments, there's something</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">about using all natural materials that just feels right on a tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope that everyone is well and preparing for a wonderful time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">with your family and friends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Merry Christmas!</div></div>

Merry Christmas 2014

I had big plans for the Christmas tree this year.  I ordered a Silvertip and had it shipped from California.  Itplanned it to arrive the first week of December and after my office move I was going full-on in to Christmas decorating.The office move went perfectly and the next day I came down with the…

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