This week Pip’s My place & yours is being brought to us by Tania of myrtle & eunice. As theme queen for the week, she has asked us to show

what object would you take wherever you roam, because it makes your house feel like a ‘home’?

When I land in a new space the first thing I have to do to make it feel like home is get stuff on the walls.  These old corner blocks were something the spouse scavenged while we were living in our first place and they have followed us through all the places we have lived since.

From this angle, (I’m standing on my counter) you can see all the extra pencil yellow paint the previous owners spread all over the trim.

Every time we hang them I have to explain my theory of no pattern/no order of decorating to the spouse.  He always wants to alternate the patterns – how silly of him.

The week almost got away from me without joining in on Pip’s meme.  This week Toni from Little Suitcase is hosting.  Here’s a little snippet from her theme -

Does your home have a quirky feature or several? Something you throw a strategically placed coat over if people are visiting or avoid telling the real estate agent about? You might be very proud of your house flaw.

So at the spouse’s suggestion I’m sharing this little piece of our house.

First, a bit of back story, when we were living in our previous home, I saw these fit between the studs built-in wall cabinets.  I ripped out the page and decreed to the spouse that we would have these in our next house.

Fast forward to the day we came to visit our current home with our realtor.  I had given her a list of what I wanted in a home, and this place was the exact opposite.  She continued insisting we see the place and out of frustration and exhaustion we gave in and took a look.  The second I walked in I knew it was ours, but we wondered though the lower level, we checked out the upstairs, we went back to the kitchen for a closer look.  The spouse was saying something clever about not understanding what the big machine was next to the cupboards (we didn’t have a dishwasher in our previous house) when I spied this.

I assumed it was an electric panel and thought, “oh great I wonder how long it would take the kids to start switching breakers on and off”.  Then I flipped it open and there it was – the deal maker.  The spouse and I started laughing and I’m sure the realtor thought we had gone mad.  If she would have opened with “it has a between the studs cabinet” we would have started signing right away.

Here’s of shot of how it looks today.  The bright yellow that is on the inside was also the wall color for the entire kitchen, when we moved in.  Lovely shade on a pencil, but it made my eyes ache a bit on early mornings.  Oh, a shout out to Penzey’s spices, if you haven’t tried them, you should.

Thanks to Toni and be sure to see who else is playing this week.

This week Kate of Foxs Lane is theme queen for Pip’s meme, My Place & Yours.  For this weeks theme, she chose…

My collection.

This has not been an easy choice for me.  I have been a collector from the beginning, rocks, stickers, and key chains as a child, moving on to 45 records and earrings (it was the 80′s and they are fab!) as a teen.  In college I started collecting pictures from magazines for decorating inspiration that are all glued into black books.  My love of collections even turned professional, when I worked in the department of collections at a large decorative arts museum.

My first thought was of this box of goodies that just made it’s way to my house.

Then, I thought about my vintage linens, but then what about the LuRay, but then I made my decision.  My aluminum, it’s the first collection that I actively searched flea markets and antique shops for.  I do have one little rule about the hunt – no ebay.  I’m sure there is great stuff on there, but the seek and find is half the battle.

When the spouse and I were newly wed and living in our first place, these pitchers were on display above our kitchen cupboards.  Now, as you can see, they catch dust on a shelf in the basement.  It’s not that I don’t still love them, it’s just that the cottage can only have so much on display at one time.

Thanks Kate!  See who else is playing this week.

Time for My Place & Yours again.  Pip chose Shelley from Femme de Montmartre to be Theme Queen this week and Shelley chose “Through the Front Door” as this week’s theme.

open up the door

and see all the people

Well, my people and my “get the mail” shoes, and a bucket of polly pockets and ponies.

Let’s see who else is playing this week.

This week I was lucky enough to be chosen theme queen for Pip‘s meme, My Place & Yours. I’m asking everyone to share her/his “secret weapon”. No deep dark secrets here, just something you keep close to your creative heart. It could be your fav crochet hook, or maybe your go to fabric shop, or even the perfect shade of red lipstick that makes your day. Whatever it is, it should something that you know you can go to in a pinch and it will never let you down. Have fun, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with!  You can find all the players here.

Now mind you, when I sent that off to Pip, I had something in mind, but then Thursday happened. It wasn’t a horrible day, but just the kind of day where you go to the store for green bananas and green grapes and the shelves for green bananas and green grapes are bare. Then, in the afternoon, you think, today would be good day to set up your new mail accounts on your computer. Then 7 customer service representatives and 2 hours later you finally have you email set up but can’t stop to read it because it’s time to pick up the kids from school.

Anyway, by the time the kids got to bed, I knew the only thing that was really going to help was magic ice cream.

Now, let me start by saying I know this isn’t a pretty picture.  However, magic ice cream is one of those rare things where function is more important than form.

It’s something the spouse invented back when I was still working retail. After a nasty day he would mix up a batch for me and the world didn’t seem so bad. It still works.

magic ice cream

one bowl vanilla ice cream

mix in a big spoon of peanut butter

a generous handful of mini chocolate chips

some butterscotch chips

a nice swirl of chocolate syrup

mix well

acceptable variations include

all sorts of crushed up candy bar

nutella

any sort of caramel sauce

marshmallows

This week Ninon is hosting My place & yours and she chose the theme, blog headquarters.

My “blog HQ” went through a bit of transition last week.  First of all, the week was pretty much a wash with two sick kids around all day who were kind enough to share their germs with me. (cough, cough, sneeze) Then, in the middle of all that fun, our new computer arrived.  I’m looking forward to finally having a chance to get to use it.

Go here to find a list of this weeks players.

Thanks Ninon!