Gehring Road

this moment

this moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama. Happy Weekend!

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windows, trim and paint

That's our kitchen table... those are pots and pots of Benjamin Moore... those colors all look the same (says Rob) ha! Though looking at them now, they do look very similar, hmm, don't tell him he might be right... Anyway, those of us obsessed with color, the RIGHT color might find the process of choosing a color for the inside of a home (that goes from the kitchen, living room, hallways and into the loft) a bit intimidating... I'm finding it a little maddening lately. Here's my dilemma... we're looking for the perfect off-white, something that won't blend in with our off-white trim for our home, a blue/grey for our bedroom and Rob gets to take care of the color for his office.  So we've looked.  I've been tricked by color before... Old Prairie made our bathroom look like a little girl's room and we went with (the very white looking, and Axel Rose tribute I'm sure) November Rain instead.  We're using test pots to help make our decision... and the test swatches look a little like the quilt I'm making, which might just be complicating the matter. 

 

... the whites in the sun... 

 

... the blues and grays up top, none of which are quite right... or even pretty... grr!

So I've been prowling sites for color inspiration and that has been helpful. We've decided to go with a grey in the bedroom and probably the tan all the way to the left of the white chips (called Manchester Tan). I really want an understated quality to the walls in the house, and hope that flashes of color will come from other things... oh paint, how you vex me! 

 

This grey seen above found here is called Mount Saint Anne but looks really blue in other variations, I'd love that exact color (from the photo) in our bedroom... (and possibly that amazing mirror too)  Oh for an iPhone with that lovely little Benjamin Moore application... this painting venture is getting pricey! So we have some test pots on order... 

 

...the lauded Mount Saint Anne...

 

... Nightingale...

 

...Sea pine...   

 

...Storm...

 

...Blue Springs...

 

...Gentle Grey...

 

...Blue Lace...

 

...Manor Blue...

... do they all look the same? Any favorites? Anyone want to choose our bedroom color? Maybe I'll set up a poll... hmmm... Anyway, I'm off to the Virtual Fan Deck... again. I leave you with a picture of my sweet other half, who is patient beyond all comprehension and who does the important stuff... like replacing drafty windows, choosing his office paint color in .2 seconds and hand making trim we love. Happy Thursday friends! 

 

 

sunday stash :: a good day

 

I went on a little fabric store tour of southwest Connecticut recently... I wish you all at least one day of the pure euphoria that was that day. Of course I left our camera at Gehring Road... decidedly northeast Connecticut, so alas, I'll have to make that little escape again to share with you soon... journalistic purposes only I assure you. Luckily I have some stock pictures of my stops. 

The Quilter's Alley, 103 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT. 

I love this shop. Not only do they have some of the most beautiful (and modern) fabrics I've seen in the state (Nani Iro, Denyse Schmidt, Heather Ross, Lecien, Echino), the owners of this store are incredibly sweet and fun to chat with. I love that the space is mostly given to easy browsing and an interactive- work station. The owner, while cutting my fabric, mentioned that they've had Denyse Schmidt (who is centered out of an old mill in Bridgeport - right down the road) teach classes at their store. If you go, grab some lunch at the French bakery around the corner... I had a tiny quiche and some tea for lunch and it put me in the perfect mood for fabric shopping... ok, so perfect mood for fabric shopping not so difficult to achieve. Here's what I bought...

...some Kate Spain, some Jennifer Paganelli, some Hope Valley...

 Photo from The Quilt Shop Blog

The Quilt Shop, 5 Padanaram Road, Danbury, CT.   

Another really sweet store.  The Quilt Shop has a nice blend of conventional as well as modern prints. Lots of Kaffe Fasset, Tula Pink, Moda and Amy Butler. There was a flurry of activity, people were coming in to get some helpful advice on their projects and purchase some additional yardage.  I browsed, and browsed and browsed... there's a lot to take in! Here's what I bought...

...love those little flowers on the left...

Make and Mingle, 63 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT.

I'm mourning the lack of photos here... big time.  Make and Mingle is housed in a really amazing space, there are notions, felt, buttons, fabric really everywhere in this bright and cheery modern fabric store. When I arrived (park at the railroad station, look for the decorated bike outside) there was a party happening in the workroom.  A group of young girls were discovering the love of fabric (ahh...) while making headbands for a birthday. Fabric here is decidedly modern (Echino, Jay McCarroll, Anna Maria Horner) but doesn't change all that often... this is still a very new store.  I love their lounge area, the handmade products they offer and just the very cool, laid back vibe of the store. One of my very favorite stops.

 

I'm looking forward to making some pillows with the yellow-flowered fabric (Valorie Wells) and the volumes fabric (Anna Maria Horner). I'm still dreaming about these pillows made by Amy and hoping to do my own little version really soon.  

So all in all, a really lovely day.  I love this area of the state... from Ichabod Road to the hills down Route 8, it feels very Hudson Valley, very beautiful and serene. If you can even see straight after fabric euphoria takes hold, it's a beautiful drive. Looking forward to heading back down as soon as possible. 

they're back

 

Season 4 Promotional Photo from AMC

Mad Men Season 4... tonight! I'm beside myself with excitement... but we don't watch until Monday so no spoilers (Ame!). I love this show. Do you watch?  

making

This week was heaven... quiet days filled with sewing, organizing, and moments spent in the loft. I've loved the process of starting my Strips and Bricks Quilt... mentioned here, here and yeah here too... I've been looking forward to this for quite some time. I should mention that the talent and inspiration that is Rita at RedPepperQuilts has finished another Strips and Bricks Quilt in the time I've cut my fabric... she's good! I think what I love most about this quilt is the use of neutrals... I used Kona white, snow, bone, ivory, khaki, ash, and coal... totally shying away from the original which uses linen/cotton blends. I'm chicken when it comes to caring for linens and caring when our dog inevitably rolls in dirt then rolls her sweet self all over the quilt. I think the cottons will work. 

So besides working on the quilt top this week, Rob and I will be working on replacing the windows in the house. Wish us luck... and ten fingers on completion.  Happy weekend! 

this moment

this moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama. Happy Weekend!

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brimfield loot

 

Ribbons and Trims from Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods (Central Park Space 116 @ Brimfield)  

I apologize for this post being a bit delayed... yesterday we had a beautifully stormy, moody day and I spent it sewing a new throw, more on that later. I did promise a Brimfied recap so here goes.  This year, as I think I might have mentioned once or twice, I was seriously undecided about some purchases... ahem, but my ribbon haul at Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods (known to Rob's mom and I as 'The Button Lady') was epic. I spent an hour in the booth admiring the trims and ribbons while Connie prowled for doilies and vintage linens nearby. The booth is something to behold... I'm glad I snagged a picture last year as photos were not allowed this year...

 

I couldn't stop making the rounds in the booth... there is so much to see. My finds were decidedly and surprisingly (oh how I'm dreading the end of my free days!) autumnal. 

I'm planning a wreath for the fall with most of these ribbons... and I just couldn't resist those beautiful buttons.  The texture of those trims is really amazing, especially up close...

   
...and I'm in love with that cherry-colored velvet rick-rack... it's even brighter in person.

So Brimfield came and went again and I learned a great deal this time... 

* Brimfield in July, though hot, was much more laid back and quiet compared to the other seasons... some vendors do not show in July... the site has more information on this.

* J&J Promotions (one of the fields that charges an entry fee... May's does the first few days as well) wasn't necessarily worth it in my opinion.  Lauded as the "it" place at Brimfield, I didn't see much that wasn't in other parts of the market as well... that could have been because it was July.  I probably will skip this next time.

* Ask for the best prices... many dealers will say "I can do better on some things, let me know if you have questions" while you're browsing... feel free to ask about pricing and bargains. 

* Bring a list and an eagle-eyed companion (thanks Connie!). Also, Etsy is a good place to comparison shop... we found many things that were much cheaper on Etsy (Jadite Tea Canister at Brimfield for $250, on Etsy for $90)... that is also helpful when bargaining. 

* Not all dealers are nice... ignore them, have fun. 

* Pack a lunch and things to drink.  Connie and I had really delicious burgers at the food court, some of the food is a bit expensive.  September is the perfect time for apple crisp... and it is really tasty. 

* Know when to walk away and when to just buy something... I have personal experience with that (shoe rack)... which I will think about until September (shoe rack). 

* The Shoe-Rack lady is at May's... I'll elbow you on my way to her booth on the first day in September... apology in advance.  In all seriousness... hope to see you there!

following the sun

 
 

We spent some time today at Buttonwood Farm in Griswold, Connecticut today... we weren't alone. Acres and acres of sunflowers to explore and capture and admire.  Best of all, the proceeds from the sale of these bunches of sunflowers go to the Make a Wish Foundation... last year they raised $70,000. Really lovely and I loved it.  Next time we go, on a not so busy and 94 degree day, we'll try the sunflower ice cream. If your weekend wasn't as sun-filled as ours, I hope it was spent following the things (and people) you love. Back tomorrow with a few updates... oh there has been much sewing, planning, canning and of course thrifting that we need to discuss. See you then...

the shoe rack

 Image of Shoe Rack from Faded Plains

Here is the story of a vintage wooden shoe rack that I did not buy... and have not stopped thinking about since.  I passed a shoe rack while prowling Brimfield with Rob's mom on Thursday and kind of fell in love. It was holding some books and a lamp and I loved how industrial yet simply lovely it looked.  It was in horrible shape but got me thinking about the endless possibilities of a shoe rack.  Seems I'm not alone... there's a contingent of shoe rack loving bloggers out there! So I went back on Friday to see if I could find other shoe racks in better shape and I happened upon the shoe rack mother-load at May's Antique Market. So I hemmed, I hawed, I talked to the owner, I called Rob for measurements... and... didn't buy it. 

This is a common theme here... remember this sweet milk box? Yes, I hemmed and hawed over that one too and... it sold. Not to me. So I think the compromise will be to wait until September when Brimfield comes round again.  Visit and hopefully bring home one of those beauties.  Maybe it will be the right one, at the right time. Until then, a Brimfield wrap up tomorrow with a few tips I've discovered along the way (supportive shoes and sunscreen are first) and I'll present the Brimfield haul.  We're off to can some cucumbers from the garden... and how cute would our canned goods look on a shoe trolley?  Sigh... Happy weekend... hopefully you're much more decisive and less sunburned than I. 

Brimfield!

Rob's mom and I are off to Brimfield this morning... the thrifting possibilities are endless, I am giddy with the thought of treasure finding.  Last year I think we were a bit overwhelmed, this year I go armed with a list. Last year it was a bit humid, very rainy and a bit cold... this year it is very humid, a bit rainy and we're in the middle of unusually hot weather here in the Northeast. Off to Brimfield, happy Thursday! 

 

Photo from last year's Market...