About 50 trips later...

In between our Holiday setup, I staged the Slate River Farm for the Trinity House Tour. The tour was last Saturday and even though the weather wasn't fabulous, the turnout was , and about 700 people came through the house.

I gave you a preview of the charming cottage prior to our staging, and here's a little view of what we did. My friend, Lisa, her husband Rob, and Sneelock were my right hands. Linda and Bill Lowe filled in every other blank, as they were the liaison for the house tour committee. Thanks to all!

This kind of an event is always creatively inspiring for someone who loves details and old homes...but does not come without extracting dues of hard work (to paraphrase Anne of Green Gables!). We spent a few days doing the setup and today tearing it down and replacing the accessories back in my home.

I might add that I really felt a loss during the week that my home was depleted of my favorite things, including art, collectibles, books, favorites of all sorts...while replacing them today, I enjoyed handling and loving each one again! I'm really hoping that someone in my family will want to love them as I have when the time comes!

Black-eyed Susan's signature guilded pumpkins graced the kitchen island.

Vintage books are always a part of interesting visuals, anywhere, anytime!

This silver tray of old door knobs caught my eye at one of my favorite vintage haunts. It was the perfect touch for the library coffee table. Oh so cool!

Another shot of the coffee table, complete with old ledgers (a pheasant feather for a bookmark!),

maidenhair fern and standing magnifier flanking the silver tray of doorknobs. Love it!

A collection of globes completes the remaining deep sill in the library. A few old books and one open on the right side seems to be perfect here.

We staged the laundry room to be more of a potting room, with trays of orchids in the dry sink, birds, nests and a personal favorite original framed piece of art, this toad! The setting was perfect for this vision. Complete with ferns, used clay pots and straw hat. Charming!

Deep window sills everywhere provided the greatest surfaces for all manner of collectible accents. Check out this great lamp that I recently reinvented with paint and a new shade! And for me, a personal favorite, old trophies and an unusually thick old leather book!

The library mantle made perfect with this collection of old books, trophy urn and Susan's moss!

This original equestrian painting was enhanced with an old clock, matching urns, an orchid, and, or course...books! I later added a boxwood sphere to each urn! Just imagine them there!

Lisa and I deemed a small sitting room off the master bedroom "the Ralph Lauren room". Riding boots, riding hat and old suitcases seemed to set the stage. We added these vintage homing pigeon trophies (!), a framed hound, and what else...books! I love these trophies!

The master bedroom was cozied up with the addition of a lamp, natural linen shams and cases, a beautiful coverlet in cream,and a tea tray with Paris themed dishes and chocolate transfer ware.

I could be totally happy in this room!

A small area at the top of the second floor landing proved perfect for an inspiration area for a would-be writer, Lisa perhaps! This old typewriter, old letters, photographs and multiple collections of small books brought the area to life. (That blotter is pretty bright!)

Here's a view of my van with the last trip from the cottage. Sneelock and I figured collectively, we all made about 50 trips from the cottage to the automobiles to load everything to return...that's the real truth!

I'm really glad I like my work. Creativity is indeed, rewarding.

That being said, I don't think I could have done 51. Until next time.