This Country Girl {at heart} Digs Mason Jars!

Simple.  Easy to find.  Inexpensive.  Can cover them with a lid, when you can't finish your drink.  Looks great as a vase.  Doubles as a lightening-bug catcher, in a pinch!  What's not to love?  

Recently, I found some blue reproduction jars at Target and snatched up 18 for drink glasses!  I have always been in love with the antique blue Masons, but would never use them to drink out of (fear of lead or whatever else could have been used in production).  The ones we now use on a regular basis, are pint size.  I found a set of 8, quart size jars (clear), at a yard sale for a buck!  I think I'll use them for my Margaritas when I've had the kinda day that takes 24 ounces of something to wash it away!

Vannie and I had a chat about not picking other people's peonies {then we proudly displayed it in a jar}!  If this was your flower, please accept my apology!  :)

I'm giddy!  <3

So fun looking in my kitchen!

Looking perfectly chill, while I blog!

The side of the carton came with a fun history of the Perfect Mason:

"One hundred years ago, this jar was a vessel.  What went inside was a product of a season of hard work.  What came out was a quality freshness that fed a family or nourished soldiers far away.

Between 1913 and 1915 the Ball Brothers introduced the "Perfect Mason", the "Perfection" and the "Improved".  Even though these jars were discontinued in the years after World War I, they never went out of use.  That's why we're bringing them back as a celebration, these jars are a part of American history.  This collector's series is meant to honor the spirit of building, craftsmanship and innovation of past generations, which built a foundation of values for the future.  

These jars represent the hard work. passion and perseverance that made this country great.  They are tangible proof that while hard times may fall, a stronger America will always rise again.
The American spirit remains preserved with the American Heritage Collection of jars from the makers of Ball brand jars.  Because what was once made in America is still made in America."

Makes me proud to own them and proud to be an American!

xoxoxo,

Cindy

Red Maples and Pick-up Trucks

My last post, on April 23rd, started out with "for now, I'm up and running" and then it all came to a screeching halt!  My dad passed away that next morning.  I can't tell you how I've missed blogging but at the same time, I've just been so uninspired by ANYTHING!   I truly appreciate you all hanging in with me through the last few months of intermittent posts.  Dad never really understood blogging.  He was a semi-extrovert that was private about his feelings.  Me?  I'm wide open.  Since his passing, I've questioned myself, a LOT!!!   Sandman and I were talking the other day about this.  He's very similar, in personality, to my dad.   I woke up to my alarm, and stirred Libby, to get ready for school.  I made my way downstairs, to greet my hubby who is a morning person.  First thing out of his mouth, no joke; "I don't get the news!  Guess what the headline news of the morning is?  Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy!  Why would they put that on the news?  Like we want to know about the private lives of stars.  There are so many more important things to talk about."  Then we had a conversation about blogging, sharing private things and news worthy events and it all clicked!  I am who I am, "wide open" so I can inspire, share, console, help and motivate.   Angelina shared her choice, to help others with the same history and genes, to feel brave enough to make a bold choice for their health.  I admire that.  Maybe Dad didn't "get" the whole sharing on blogs and Facebook, but he was from another era; but for me; it makes sense to me.  I'm happy to be a voice.

 With that...I'm sharing my heart and hoping it may inspire others to step out of they're despair and loss and do something to honor their heart and the one they lost:

My brother and I.  It was my first day of kindergarten.  "Daisy" stands in the background.  At that time, we were both 5 years old (my brother was 3).

When I was a baby, my dad planted a Japanese Red Maple for me, in our front yard.  I loved that tree!  I used to take my dolls out there and have picnics under it.  I named it Daisy!  Not sure why, but I always loved that name, as a girl, and named myself, a doll and the tree, all Daisy!  Silly!  

We moved when I was about 4 and a half years old.  The tree had grown quite a bit in that time, but Dad felt that I should have my tree, so he and a few friends dug it up, balled it and put it on the moving van; to make the trip to the new house!

"Daisy" full grown!

In 1980, my family moved to Indiana for about 9 months (a story for later).  Mom and Dad took a graft of the tree and tried to get it to grow at our new house.  It did well for a while but in month number 9, it died.  We moved back to Maryland, into the same house we left, and I had my tree back.

My parents had another new home built in my freshman year of college.  The tree was way too big to be moved, at that point, so dad when to the homeowners' association of his new neighborhood and got permission to plant his daughter a tree!  

No, I didn't name this one but I sure do love it, just the same!!!

Dad had a few pick up trucks in my lifetime.  When he would bring a new one home, we would always celebrate at our favorite ice cream place and always sat on the tailgate!

  Most of my childhood memories revolve around a truck or a sporting event (mainly basketball).  The day Daddy died, I spent a good bit of time crying on the hood of his 1986 Ford R150 and shooting hoops in his driveway.  Somehow, I felt closer to him.  

Sandman knew I had wanted a truck for my business and he and Dad had talked about the truck not being safe enough or able to make it to Virginia.  The day I got back from being with family, after he passed, Sandman bought me a 2010 Ford F150!  

Dad wasn't into the super-cab thing and loved his 8' bed, but he LOVED that I'm a mom and always encouraged me to "do the right thing for your family, Punkin"!  So even though he wouldn't have chosen this truck for himself, I think he would have thought I made a good choice.  There's room for our  whole family to ride comfortably and a 6 and a half foot bed for furniture hauling!

First thing I did was to take the girls to our favorite ice cream place, to break in the tailgate...

and the second thing I did, was haul a Japanese Red Maple to be planted for Daddy!

Then I cleared, a spot and planted it where I can see it from my desk and pass it every time I drive into the drive way in my truck!

Variegated Vinca is my nemesis! 

   Just had to "help" plant!

Watered and promptly put a fence around it to keep Blakely from "helping" any further!  I think Daddy would have liked it!!!

xoxoxo,

Cindy

Recycled Glass Chandeliers

Hey there!!!  It's been a while!  Pardon the distance between posts!  Life for me, these days, has been one big dose of reality after another!  Like the title of the a popular movie says, "Reality Bites"!  Anyway, for now, I'm up and running again.  

I went to Cape Charles, last year, with Sandman.  He golfed.  I shopped.  What's new?  I found a fantastic chandelier, made by a local artisan and now I can't figure out where I put that picture!  It stinks too, because I was holding off until Spring to show y'all.  Here's the closest I could find, and they're pretty wonderful, so enjoy!

{ro sham beaux via zinc door}

I love the recycled and natural look of this chandelier!  This one is made from pieces of Coke bottles and hemp string.  Not seaglass, per say, BUT, where do you think seaglass comes from (other than the sea, duh!)?  Right!  Broken glass bottles washed out to sea and back!  They could be Coke bottles, so this (and the next chandelier) gets my vote for awesome!

{ro sham beaux via zinc door}

Not enough space?  This one is small, adorable and so eco-chic!

{coastal living}

Alright, so I have to admit, I'm not in love with the parsons chair, covered in chintz, in the foreground, but other than that, I looooooove the watery feel of this room with the drippy chandelier.  

{cote de texas}

From the blogger, Joni's own home, this seaglass chandelier and sconce is to die for!  I like my elegant spaces to feel comfortable...like real people dine there (I consider myself to be real.  If you don't, well, just keep it to yourself!  K?).  This is the perfect mix of recycled material, elegance and comfort.  

Miss me???

xoxoxo,

Cindy

Upcycled and Hidden Medicine Cabinets

Laying in bed last night, playing Words With Friends and trying to hear Kimmel over my hubby's high decibel snores, my tablet buzzed in my hands.  It was a Facebook message from my frat brother (I'm a TKE Little Sis) who is a Graphic Artist in Georgia.  He had an idea for me, for a blog post!  GREAT!  I've had so much heaviness in my life, lately, that I have been hard-pressed for any sort of inspiration!  Sad but true.  I ain't gonna lie!  It's just frustrating to go from boatloads of ideas to 

...Phfffttt!  Nothin!

"Riddle" and I tend to go through brief periods of creative bantering, via chat, every few months or so.  Everything from family silliness, the "good ole days" of parties and pledging, to artsy ideas, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he said he likes the ideas I come up with on my blog.  Since he's equally as creative, I guess I was taken a back when he wanted my opinion...and then...

12:10am

Riddle

Got one for you to research & post.

• 

  12:12am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Thanks. I'm feeling so uninspired these days. I would love a lead. Whatcha got?
• 

  12:13am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  I want to put a medicine cabinet in my guest / bathroom that everyone uses when they come over

  Don't want it to look like a med cabinet

  I'm thinking of making the door a painting
• 

  12:14am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Got it. What's the decor like? Casual, modern, etc?

  I like that idea!

  Would you want to reuse anything as a door?
• 

  12:15am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  doesn't mater about the decor.
• 

  12:16am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Darling... it always matters. 
• 

  12:16am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  I'm kind of thinking --- "the safe behind the painting"

  Not for the concept.
• 

  12:17am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  That's awesome!

  Why exactly do you need me, again?  I think you have great vision.
• 

  12:18am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  Hell I guess I don't!

  but would be a great blog subject
• 

  12:19am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Folks tend to like to look at themselves in the bathroom. Will you have a mirror elsewhere?
• 

  12:19am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  Was also thinking of an old barn board
• 

  12:20am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Yes. It would be a good blog post.
• 

  12:20am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  This bathroom has an old cabinet as a sink area
• 

  12:20am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  I'll try to work on that next!
• 

  12:21am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  a clear glass bowl on top
• 

  12:21am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  By old cabinet, you mean the vanity?
• 

  12:21am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  all brass fixtures

  yes

  brass as in dark looking. brown/black
• 

  12:22am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Love the glass bowl. Brass fixtures are sort of ick unless they are seriously vintage IMO

  Oh... you mean rubbed oil bronze?
• 

  12:23am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  I don't think they are brass

  YES
• 

  12:23am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Oh... that's a relief!
• 

  12:23am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  all our hinges are this
• 

  12:24am
  

  Cindy Sandelin

  
  

  Perfect!
• 

  12:24am
  

  Riddle

  
  

  BTW I put 5 panel doors in my house

  Old style
• 

  12:24am
  

  Cindy Sandelin
  

  
  

  Nice!

  Come work on mine please?:-)

At some point after that, one or both of us must have fallen asleep (such exciting design convos, double for a sleep aid, I guess!)

{velvet & linen}

I'm thinking, something like this is what he had in mind.  What say you, "Joker"?  Am I on the same page as you?  The rest of the above bathroom reno, is pretty awesome so I linked it for y'all!  Check it out!

{tilly's cottage}

Here's another.  It's cute, but like I said in our chat, a mirror somewhere in the bathroom, is needed.  Maybe on the backside of the painting?  Most guests don't get nosy enough to look into medicine cabinets or pull on your paintings, so you may need to let them know how to get around the guest bath when they arrive.  

{the other man's treasures}

Old suitcases hold so many new possibilities!  Here, a cool old suitcase with leather trim was reNOUNed into a medicine cabinet by applying a mirror, made to fit, add shelves to the inside with some shelving hardware that slips into holes (you create) and then securing the suitcase to the wall!  I love this idea for a guest bathroom!

{elizabeth regelia via martha stewart}

Some suitcases come pre-divided in the right way!  Search your local flea markets for possibilities!

Obviously, it's not a concealed medicine cabinet...I mean, how many suitcases do you see hanging on the wall in a bathroom, but I love it!  Maybe Riddle will too!?

{dishfunctional design}

Old doors!  You know how I love them!  Again, doors beg to be opened, so I guess it's not the "safe in the wall" idea he was going for, but it's totally cool, none the less!

Thanks for the inspiration, Riddle!  We sure have come a long way from the days when the only use for a great medicine cabinet was that it held the pain killer for the hangovers we got after long nights with our brothers and sisters!

xoxoxo,

Cindy