Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Links You Might Like! + 9 Years + Bonus CACH Photos


I just realized that this little blog has just passed its 9th year anniversary. Wow. I went back to read my first post to see how I began. You can read it too. I cannot believe I am still at it. I have no time to reflect on this anniversary today but maybe I will in the near future. What I do really appreciate is that you each take the time out of your busy day to read what I have to write and share. 

We are severely still lacking in the color department here in western Massachusetts. I think it is my colorful, cosy home that has helped me to make it through this winter. Today was a beautiful day - the sun was shining and it was bright and clear. Such a nice change from the winter we have had. 

I am totally inspired by this article on British potter Prue Piper. Oh, how I hope I get to do some pottery again soon! 


Every Thursday for the past 15 years or so, I have gone to the general store in Bernardston to pick up the New York Times. Why? So I can read the "HOME" section. Well that is no more because the NYTimes has discontinued it. Booooooo NYT. :-( You can read about this here


Our food scene here in western Massachusetts was written up on the Huffington Post. Check it out here

Rikki Snyder - the photographer of my new book Crafting a Colorful Home - has put a blog post up with lots of outtakes of photos we took that didn't get used or were cropped so that many details were missing (in print). Check it out here and thanks Rikki! 


Here are a few of the outtakes that Rikki took of our home for Crafting A Colorful Home that didn't appear in the book.  You can still order signed copies of the book from me on my website. I am still offering the postcards and the Kristin bookplates. $27.95 and FREE FREIGHT! Here is the link to my website.

This chair came from my mother-in-law and it serves as an extra seat in the library. I'd like to re-cover it again someday. The curtain is actually a piece of Uzbekistan embroidery. The engravings are antique and I have collected them over the years. Most have something to do with sheep, dogs, fiber animals and knitting. The mural on the wall is by me. 


Photo by Rikki Snyder 

This is the little Jotul woodstove that warms us all winter. I love wood heat. The wood engravings above the mantelpiece were done by Randy Miller, a New Hampshire wood engraver. Such a talented guy. I discovered that he sells his prints on-line. His images are of agricultural and small town scenes. Our collection includes from left to right:
Border Collie (this collie looks so much like Kate)
Shakers Mowing
Sheep Talk
Town and Country Scene (not available on his website)

On the mantel, I have a piece of needlepoint from Uzbekistan. You can see more on Susan Mellor's site here


Photo by Rikki Snyder 
This is a scene in our kitchen. I love British teacups and have a nice collection. Just so you know, the counter is never that clear. There is always stuff all over it. Aren't those zinnias pretty? Summer will come again soon. 



This is a scene in the kitchen at our old wood table. The tea set is Fiestaware that I have picked up at Brimfield over the years. It is great for photo shoots because of the colors and the shape. I made the cushions for our kitchen chairs. (I include instructions for making chair pads in Crafting A Colorful Home. I used fabric I had printed at Spoonflower from my own designs that were done in Adobe Illustrator. The theme is sunflowers of course. You can buy the fabric too. Here is the link to all my prints on Spoonflower

Photo by Rikki Snyder 

I hope you all are having a good week. Mud season is arriving here soon. 

9 comments:

Auntie Shan said...

HAPPY *9er*!!
:-D
*HUGS*!

Sigrun said...

Congratulations! Love reading your blog, so I hope you enjoy writing for many many more years :-)

Sally said...

Hi Kristin--So GLAD you're still at it. With gratitude and admiration, Sally

Michele in Maine said...

Happy Blogaversary! I'm glad you make the time to give us a peek into your colorful life.

I had to laugh when you said your counters were never that cleared off in real life. My house has been on the market for 3+ years, and in the rare event of a house showing I go into crazy counter cleaning mode. It's my biggest challenge, keeping those horizontal surfaces free of "stuff."

Anonymous said...

~ hi Kristin,

* Salutations, on 9 Terrific Years of Wonderful Colorful Farm Life !
I've enjoyed it all so immensely.
Your newest book, Crafting A Colorful Home, arrived to exciting fanfare by myself and a little child I Nanny for. At every page, we said, close your eyes,. . . surprise, and pointed out what we liked best on each fantastic glorious page!
What a nice morning. (So loVely that your work captures the attention of a 3 yr old for more than an hour !)
* I loVe, loVe, loVe this book! * Its so refreshing, beautiful, and full of layers of texture of artistic style. Looking at it is like taking a trip to an Island of Color. Its simply exquisite. *
My little friend, Nolan would like to know what is the name of the cat, sitting on the sofa in the blog photo,. . . that special cat has become quite the viewed cat ! :)
We are both curious if that is the kitty that used his claws on the sofa as well ? :)
Thank you for bringing your World of Color to us in your blog, books & farm posts!
Best always,
Shell ~


Anonymous said...

~ Growing up in Vermont, my family had a Jotul woodstove too, still do. Wish I could have one now, I love wood heat as well. Rikki's photos are brilliant !
I like the Owl andirons. I notice the black door handles on the lime green door are so classic "New England" to me. I am pining for all the home details that remind me of Vermont & Maine, and your home is superb Kristin.
Best,
Shell ~

Kristin Nicholas said...

Hi Shell - Thanks for the note about your little friend. The cat on the sofa with the crochet afghan is named Petunia. As for who scratched the furniture, that could be any of them.

Have your little pal Nolan go through the book and see if he can count how many different cats are in the book. That will be a fun exercise.

Have a great weekend.
Kristin

Annie Cholewa said...

Congratulations on your 9 years :)

Anonymous said...

~ hi Kristin,

Great idea ! Nolan will loVe that. He also likes to find the Farmer & his sheep on pg. 150 of the book. :)
So, Petunia is on the cover of CACHome, . . . who is the tabby on the coral patterned sofa, with the knitted afghan and pillows ?
I have a tabby cat girl, so Nolan is especially intrigued that Chubby has a somewhat twin kitty friend.
Best,
Shell ~
. . . Oh, I do love your book ! Because not only is it beautiful, but the projects are explained so well, so as to be very do-able.
Soon I'll be starting painting of a lampshade, a wooden footstool and a grand endeavor of designing a large, old wooden room divider. I rescued it at a sale for one dollar !

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