Vintage Chocolate Posters from the ...Wash House?!

Ha! You thought I was going to say from the attic didn't you?

What do you mean you already knew?

Buddy told you yesterday? Humph!

I wondered why the key board was full of seeds!

I was quite surprised to find a gem like this out there.

But before you go getting jealous,

and saying it's not fair I've got an attic and a wash house,

let me give you a dose of reality...

from the door...

to the farthest corner,

the wash house is stacked to the rafters

with stuff

and dust

and cobwebs.

Ewe!

Now I love chocolate as much as the next girl,

probably more,

but I'm not dressing up

in a pink bunny outfit to get it.

Now this is better.

Make him work for your affection!

Santa Baby, flattery will get you everywhere!

And if all else fails,

whip up your own little love potion

and hide it in a box of chocolates!


No calories were consumed in the making of this post,

a few dust mites, maybe!

Destination: Wash House

This is the new view from my back steps. It's strange to be able to see the wash house, the building on the left, because for years it's been hidden by a tangle of overgrown bushes. A rotted grape arbor, a fig tree and several privets had been taken over by the grapes, ivy and honeysuckle. Last weekend the last of the brush was cleared away, making way for...more clean up on the inside! I was really quite surprised. I've posted about my dream of turning the wash house into a studio a couple of times. I thought Hubby was just humoring me about starting on it this spring. Thank you Hubby!

Hubby's grandmother, Hummer, hauled her laundry out to this little building until she was in her 90's. It was also used as a potting shed and storage for her bulbs. Hubby remembers being recruited each year with his brothers to dig up all the bulbs from her cut flower stand.

Both the building and the rose bush survived the pruning shears and chainsaws. I wasn't so sure that would be the case.

A view from the inside. It's too scary for more than just a glimpse!

This is the side by the pathway. My dad has inspected everything and thinks it's in much better shape than it looks like. There is some rot, water damage in the ceiling, and other minor issues. He'll upgrade the electrical that has been disconnected for years. The biggest job is cleaning it out, then prepping and painting it. All in all he says it will be relatively inexpensive and simple. I just hope his idea of "relatively" is the same as mine! My dear mom can't wait to get painting on it with me.

I had never seen the back side until a few months ago when a chicken coop that backed up to it was removed. I hadn't even realized there were windows here. When it's all finished I hope it turns out something like this...

I've been holding on to this inspiration photo for many years. I don't know which magazine it came from. When I posted about some old doors I thought might be good for this project Karen, from Some Days are Diamonds, commented:

DO IT DAWN!!!!! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a room to just "Be" in and create whatever your heart desires. While I love just having my own room, to have a separate building, a "destination" if you will would be awesome! Just imagine! Oh I REALLY encourage you to find a way! Keep me posted!!!!!

As luck would have it I went to Karen's blog to grab her link and her pups, Jorja and Harley, had snuck in a post about how Karen was doing the Happy Dance over her newly re-decorated studio! Now I have some lovely pink inspiration for the inside, and some great organizational ideas too! Thank you for all the encouragement Karen. I do think this little building could turn out to be a little diamond in the rough!

I'll keep you all posted as this project moves along.

Hugs,

Dawn

Thrifty Thursday ~ French Doors Times 4

Yard sale season may be slowing down but there are still plenty of good finds out there. As Leigh pointed out a few weeks ago, there are all kinds of other ways to be thrifty too. Please stop by her place and see what's cooking today.

I really hit the jackpot this week at Strawberry Saturday. Imagine walking in to a place that usually has clothes and knick knacks and seeing...French Doors. 1, 2, 3, 4, sets of French Doors! That's 8 doors. Eight old doors. My brain was doing cartwheels!

Heavy, solid doors.

Hinges still attached.

Door knobs.

Double pane windows!

Cheryl told my one set had already been paid for and she was waiting for them to be picked up. The set shown here in front was actually 3 inches taller than the others and didn't have any hardware so I think they may have been used as transoms, not functioning doors. That still left 2 sets with hardware and one that could probably be re-worked into doors. But at what cost???

$40.00 per set!

Remember our old "wash house"?

I posted about it here. Ever since we moved here I've been dreaming about making it into an arts and crafts studio for me and my daughter. I envisioned this being a wall of French doors letting in the light for a nice bright space that would open onto a brick patio by the old outdoor fireplace. Of course the whole building would still be covered in these incredible pink roses.

Insert the sound of glass shattering here.

Not the doors, my broken heart. Hubby couldn't see my vision, at least not as these particular doors were concerned. It's okay, he's being practical. I get it.

On the bright side. The doors are still available. Someone else will get to enjoy the same thrill as I did when they discover them. And I guess sometimes that's what it's all about...the thrill of the hunt!

Pink Saturday ~ A Riot of Pink Roses

Today I'm joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for my first Pink Saturday. I'm posting a bit early because I've got a sick child and I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to post later. I don't want to miss it like I did last week! LOL! Please click on the photo to join Beverly for all the wonderful pinkness!

Each spring, for about three weeks, there is a riot of roses in our yard. Two old, climbing, rose bushes burst out with hundreds of raucous pink blooms, taking over the whole scene. One has become part of the structure of the old abandoned wash house, busting through windows and wrapping around the door frame. The branches literally hold up the side of the building against the weight of the roses rampaging over the top and into nearby trees.

An adjacent fence barely contains the masses. It was made from scraps by the neighbor and includes many posts made of railroad ties. Evidently he knew the assault was coming. It stands strong...for now.

There is nothing delicate about these roses. They're aggressive and hardy, reaching out to grab hold of anything that doesn't move. Even the color is a bright, bold, hot pink. No soothing pastels here. Their overgrown foliage hides secret lairs for wild cats who have created paths among the big, spiky thorns over the years. The air gets heavy with their strong, old fashioned scent. At their peak I can barely breathe yet I can't bare the thought of trimming them back.

At some point we will reach this area as we slowly reclaim this property. A decision will have to be made as to the fate of the old wash house. The building holds many family memories and should be restored but it's in terrible condition and may need to come down. It is so intertwined with the roses I'm not sure if either can be managed without destroying the other. I've often dreamed of turning it into a studio for me, something out of a magazine with beautiful french doors framed by glorious climbing roses. Until then, the wild nature of the roses is winning this war and for a few weeks each spring my vision comes to life.

Wishing you a Happy Pink Saturday!
Dawn