Dead Man's Shoes Vintage & Other Curious Goods

Don't you love it when you find great new local shops when you aren't really looking for them?  That happened to me and my mom over the weekend when we ended up at Dead Man's Shoes Vintage...

Alex was out of town on another business trip so I asked my mom to come for a visit and thankfully she hopped in her little red hybrid and drove on over from Michigan to keep me company over the weekend!   Or maybe she did just to make sure I don't end up in the ER like the last time Alex was gone?  Anyway....

Shopping adventure selfie with mom :)

We were out and about on Sunday heading to a few estate sales and one of the sales happened to be next to Dead Man's Shoes Vintage.  Naturally, when I saw "vintage" I told her we had to stop in to check it out, so glad we did!

The store had oodles of fun vintage clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, home decor and other fun curiosities or as they describe it-  "A truly one of a kind collection of curious goods".  I also loved the way the store was curated, the mix of color and pattern throughout added to the fun retro vibe and made browsing through every little bit irresistible.

I have to comment on a few items now- the favorite being the Disposable Dress!  Did you know there was such a thing?!?!  The packaging said it was for "shopping, dancing, partying, funning, and house cleaning" and that it was "for today's Swingers".

It made me wonder if this is where the phrase "she'd look good wearing a paper bag" came from?  Because it is really just a paper bag... with a paper belt/sash.  At least it was water resistant and flame resistant so you can't soak your dress with a spilled a drink or get light on fire during your Swingers party :) 

Lastly, I have to tell you that the best thing about this store is that the prices are reasonable!  That's usually my beef with some vintage stores when you find great things but the pricing is outrageous.  I mean, that dress form in the above pic is $42!  Such a deal!

For all you local Minneapolis/St. Paul folks, you should definitely check it out!  After writing about the Disposable Dress I am kind of kicking myself for not buying it, should I go back and get it?

What did you think of Dean Man's Shoes Vintage?

Would you wear the Disposable Dress?

No update on the sofa situation yet due to Alex's business trip (and the warning he gave me if I buy a couch by myself).  Hopefully we'll get to decide and buy this weekend!

An Old Street Sign to Remember a Special Place

Don't you love when you are in the right place at the right time?

That happened to me earlier today during a walk with the dogs when I happened to stumble upon a couple city workers that were taking down old street signs and putting up new ones.  Being the neighborhood history nerd (posts on our house history and neighborhood history) and weirdo in general that I am, I had to bother ask them, "Excuse me, what do you do with the old street signs?" and one of the workers replied with, "Do you want one?" and the other began taking apart the old sign to give to me.

This little random moment totally made my day!  

Even though it was probably TMI I told them, "My husband and I live in the first home we've ever owned on this street, so thank you, it's special to have."  I kind that might have brightened up their day a little too?  Then, with the street sign in hand I walked home grinning like an idiot :)

Maybe it seems silly to be this excited over a street sign but I'm thankful to have this sign that marks the place that became our very first home together (you know I am also a weird overly sentimental person too right?).  Whether we are here for another year, ten, or twenty-five, this home and neighborhood will always hold a special place in my heart.  Ahhh, aren't you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside too?!

Where would you put it or what would you do with it?  

Would you have asked for a sign too? 

Does anyone in Minneapolis know how old the streets signs were that just got replaced?

I don't think we can really display it anywhere since most of our walls have windows breaking up the amount of space we could place it on so I'm not really sure what or if we will do anything with it.  If you have ideas let me know!

Uncle Alex Good, Auntie Carla Bad

You can't win them all right?  Well, that saying was especially true this weekend when my sister Holly, brother-in-law Brian, and our (almost) one year old niece Brynnan came from Michigan to Minneapolis for a visit.  Why you ask?  Well on the very first day they arrived, Brynnan warmed up to her Uncle Alex right away and when it came to her Auntie Carla, well you get the idea based on Exhibit A below....

Exhibit A

Yep, Uncle Alex got sweet, cute, snuggly, cuddly love from Brynn and the reaction I got was an expression of shear terror followed by loud cries for mom.   It was so sad!  I thought if either of us could have the upper hand in the like-ability area with Brynn it would be me considering I look like her mom and for petes-sake am blood related to her mom. 

Yep, this type of reaction happened over and over as shown in Exhibit B.  Perhaps the worst though was seeing Alex's smug grin when he would happily hold her with no cries or sign or terror in her eyes.  Ugh, it was so, so, so smug. 

Exhibit B

I know it might be because we live far away and she doesn't see us much (which alone makes me feel sad) but I hope it won't be that way next time I see her. Who wouldn't feel sad making a cute baby cry?  Feels pretty crummy especially when you are her Auntie!

Despite feeling bummed that I couldn't hold Brynn as much as I wanted to, we still had lots of fun hanging out and catching up over the weekend. A few highlights included lunch and pictures by the Mississippi Riverfront...

Lots of playing at home and out-and-about with Brynn...

Goodness, that blonde hair and those blue eyes are the sweetest thing right?!?!
But our favorite of the weekend visit was the Como Zoo and Conservatory.  Brynn liked the action at the Zoo but I think she loved the trees and plants at the Conservatory even more! 

... and Auntie Carla loved that she got to take some adorable photos of a very happy Brynnan!

Now before I end this post, wouldn't ya know it-  There's a surprise-twist ending! (Thankfully)

Just before their Minnesota visit came to a close, I sat down with Brynn at the bottom of our staircase and she didn't get upset... she SMILED!  Yaaayyy!  I was so happy and even happier that Brian had a camera close enough to capture the moment.  I love our photo together, makes me a happy Auntie Carla :)

PS- did you notice the unhappy furry little head in the corner of the photo?  Perhaps my first born was jealous like I was of Alex?!?!?  Probably not, but it's pretty strange/funny that Rocco managed to wedge his head in my glorious moment, ha!

Well that was it for our family visit and we loved every minute! 
Now, how about you? Will you have family visiting over the Fourth of July holiday?  If you do and you have little nieces or nephews, I wish you better luck than I had at the beginning :) I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th and remembers to be thankful for our country's independence. I also must say thank you to all of the men and women that still protect our freedoms everyday!

Be safe, have lots of fun, and enjoy the fireworks! 

Vintage Clothing & Textile Sale and a Lucky Fabric Find for my Chairs!

How was everyone's weekend?  I have to say, ours felt pretty fantastic!  We attended a neighborhood party, got out to sit by the lake in the sunshine, and I went with some friends to an awesome vintage clothing, jewelry, and textile sale held at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul.  I was surprised the sale wasn't busier because (I'll say it again) it was AWESOME!  The sale had over 45 booths showcasing 100+ years of clothing, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and textiles. 

None of us left empty handed and we all spent more than we thought we would- and I mean that in a good way!  I brought home this vintage accent rug for $20, the antique rosary for $10, and 4 yards of vintage printed fabric for $20....

I know the red bead rosary might seem a bit random but it reminded me of one I had when I was little, perhaps given to me by my grandma and it just made me think of her when I saw it :)

I was so stoked when I found that vintage rug, you can NEVER pass up a vintage rug in good condition. They are timeless and you can count on keeping around for a while!  I knew the perfect spot for it would be front and center at our front entry at the bottom of the stairs...

Isn't the color and pattern amazing?!?!?  It was hard to get the color to show consistently in the photos I took, I know it looks a bit different in each photo but it is just gorgeous!

As for the vintage fabric (and those of you that saw my Friday post you might have already guessed) it is going to be used on my latest chair project.  As I mentioned Friday, the fabric I ordered didn't look quite right for the chairs and it was unanimous in the comments that you all agreed :) the scale of the pattern just looked wrong with the cane pattern, and I know some of you might think I am crazy but I'm going with the navy and coral fabric I found at the sale!

Yep, it's a bold choice but I love the color, pattern, and I think the chairs will turn out fabulous!  I have the seat cushions ready to add fabric too and I am picking up paint tonight!  I'm hoping to find a color similar to the dark navy ground in the print, I think it will look luscious!   

What do you think? 
Is my fabric choice crazy or are you loving the unique vintage look of it too?

Before I go, here's a few photos from the Vintage Clothing and Textile sale.  I highly recommend going to the next one!  I know I will be going for sure!

Adventures in Antiquing: A "Make-a-day-of-it" Trip to Hopkins and 50th & Xerxes

Just a heads up- this post might be geared a bit more toward local folks, but still fun if you appreciate a good day of antiquing or might head to the Twin Cities for some shopping- End disclaimer.

Did anyone catch last month's issue of Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine?  I don't typically read each issue but this one was hard to miss since it had a big ol' feature article titled "Where the Experts Shop: Insiders Guide to Antiques, Vintage, & Midcentury" on the cover.  I was so intrigued!

Now I consider myself pretty familiar with great spots for thrifting, antiquing, and vintage shopping around here, but this guide introduced me to some fantastic new options!  So, it was time to set out on a new antiquing adventure and thankfully I had a few fun coworkers that were game too! 

Now, since it would be insane impossible to try and hit all 65 stores mentioned in the guide we took a look at the "Make a Day of it: Shop by Neighborhood" section and decided on visiting the town of Hopkins and the 50th & Xerxes neighborhood of Minneapolis.  Here's a glimpse of our day including store photos and what I took home!

We started off bright and early in Hopkins, which is about 10-15 minutes from Minneapolis.  I was most excited about shopping here since I've heard about great antique stores but haven't had a chance to visit yet- and I wasn't disappointed!  Our first stop was Antiques on Mainstreet since it opened earlier than some other stores. (see entire list of antique stores in Hopkins here). 

Some of my favorites included those marble bookends, oodles of vintage gloves, and that display case FULL of dog figurines... I may start a collection of Shih Tzus and German Shorthairs someday.... oh yes, I'm going to be that kind of old lady... someday :) hehe!  But for the time being I'm going to forego that bold purchase.  Onto the next!

We popped over to Auntie M's Antiques located right next door.  I have to say, I thought this shop was quite delightful!  They had a lot of great antiques as well as some really oddball goofy items...

Yep, flying pigs, Hair Goes Latin 4 (anyone know what the heck that is?), old urine specimen bottles, and my personal favorite- this poofy wig of red hair.  I know some of you might think I'm nuts but I couldn't resist putting it on and once it was on my head I started talking with a Long Island/Jersey kind of accent and called myself Gloria.  Perhaps "Gloria" also collects dog figurines???

Before leaving Auntie M's, I found this gold wall shelf made by the same company that made my gold wall scones I found while thrifting and couldn't pass it up for just $7.00!

After making my purchase we went across the street to the Hopkin's Antique Mall.  They had a lot of great items but I think their assortment of antique lighting and jewelry was fantastic!

My other favorites were the vintage Barbie collectibles and of course I couldn't resist an old map from my home state Michigan.  I think I remember playing with some of those Barbie items at my grandma's, the green Barbie house for sure which came with colorful cardboard furniture.  Brought back memories (sigh).

That wraps up our Hopkins visit, I wish we could have visited more stores but we spent about three hours in those three stores alone, isn't that crazy?!?  In order to hit the other stores and stay on track with our timing we had to get moving to the 50th & Xerxes neighborhood.  But, I have to say that I really loved vintage shopping in Hopkins, so many great items and fair prices that gave it that good treasure hunt kind of feel. I will have to have another Hopkins antiquing adventure sometime this summer so I can hit more stores on the list!

Onto the 50th & Xerxes neighborhood!
We headed in to Hunt & Gather Antiques and Loft Antiques.  I've been to both before and they are always worth a stop to check out the new merchandise.  Plus, you can always count on Hunt & Gather to be beautifully curated!  The upper level had a classic/formal kind of vibe going on...

... and the lower level had a bright, outdoor-sy, summer feel.  I loved the rack of vintage ladies swimwear!

Over at Loft Antiques, we spotted lots of lovely higher-end vintage furniture surrounded by unique ceramics, figurines, lighting fixtures, plenty of vintage books, magazines, and other printed items- like that Paris Michelin guide book from the summer of 1959.  I picked up that guide book and started thumbing through it.

I loved all the old maps, images, handwritten notes, and a car rental ticket from September 23rd, 1959.  It even smelled old, like that good old-old book from a library kind of smell.  Yep, had to buy it for $5.00 and I hope to use some of the maps for a project... someday :) it's in the pile, ugh I know I have to stop adding!

I know that part of our day sounded quick, but that is where our shopping ended for the day.  By that time we were pretty hungry and wanted to pick a cute place to sit for lunch so we headed to Tilia in the Linden Hills neighborhood.  The food was amazing, so-so-so delicious, and since I had never been before I had to take a few pics to share!  I also got a group pic with my shopping buddies (slightly blurry, sorry!).

All in all, it was a perfect way to spend the day!  I highly recommend our little one day antique shopping itinerary to anyone else looking to do some shopping with friends.  It was just enough without being too tiring and Tilia is a great finale for an antiquing adventure :)

Any other locals check out stores from the MSP Magazine list too?  Where did you go?
What do you think of my antique finds? 

Junk Bonanza Photos- Can You Guess What I Took Home? Plus the Wedding Lab!

I gathered all up my photos from Thursday's Junk Bonanza trip to share!  Aside from just shopping at JB, the other fun part is getting some project or DIY ideas from what you see.  Also, this year they had a Wedding Lab that featured some amazing, cute and creative wedding themes (fun to look at even if you aren't a bride-to-be!).  So I hope you enjoy a look at all the sights and maybe find a fun idea or two! 

If you're up for a little game too, try and guess the three items I took home as you look through the pictures.  Ready?!?!  Here's a look at all the "junk"...

That wraps up the junk for sale but I can't leave out photos of the Wedding Lab! 
Each themed "lab" displayed great ideas for a vintage, vintage-inspired, or repurposed wedding and reception style.  The displays were so pretty too look at, I have to say all the folks that put it together did an amazing job!  (Click here for more info)

Ahhhh, I still love looking at wedding decor ideas! 

Now, I know you're wondering what I took home???  Did you guess the three items from the photos above?  Yes? No?  Either way here's my loot...

Any correct guesses?!?  I think the Z was pretty easy but it was a good score for just $10 and I love the glossy white/gold finish and the modern vintage style of it.  My friend Amber spotted the potty knocker for $3 and said, "you should get this for Alex" so I did.  It was a perfect gift for my hubby- random, strange, and included bathroom humor :)  Lastly, I got that little black dress for $20 and it fits perfectly, how lucky is that find?!?!  Plus, who doesn't love a little vintage in their wardrobe?

Phew! 

Anyone else score good finds at Junk Bonanza this weekend?  What'd ya get?

A "Relaxing Renewal" & Plenty of Decor Ideas at Bachman's Spring 2013 Idea House

It's time to get some major decor inspiration with a look at Bachman's Spring 2013 Idea House!  This time, a "Relaxing Renewal" celebrates the fresh energy that Spring brings.  It's all about relaxing, organizing, getting together with friends and watching things grow!  As expected, it was full of great ideas and I am sure you will find at least one of your own after seeing these pictures!

Just in case you are familiar with the Idea House, here is the background information:
Bachman's is a Floral and Gift Garden here in Minneapolis, and their Idea House was their original founder's house built in the 1920's. The company now uses the house for their seasonal Idea House creating entirely new rooms for each of the four seasons. Everything about each room is different for each season's idea house, right down to the paint on the walls. When you enter the house you get a brochure that lists all the details for each room including the paint color and 'ideas'. The cool part- everything in each room is for sale!

Now let's get to it!  I will show photos from each room and then list the 'ideas' after....

Living Room

Living Room Ideas: Bird magnets added to decorative metal screen; 3-tier glass serving piece filled with rocks as floating candle holder; Terra cotta pots painted white and stacked as floor lamp base; Vintage cubbie unit as sofa table and magazine holder; Lanterns used as terrariums; Coffee table built of 6x6 cedar posts at difference levels with decorative tiles; Lights added to ceramic vases in cabinets to create light fixtures; Salvaged architectural grid as backdrop to wall art

Dining Room

Dining Room Ideas: Slate tiles and paint-able wallpaper used as table runner; Bird vases in clear bases as candlestick holders; Names written in dry erase marker on bird vases as placecard holder; Assorted candle holders stacked on each other to create holistic centerpieces; Floral vase as tea holder; Rattan balls spray-painted as chandelier accents; Foam ribbon, fabric and permanent botanicals as window treatment, Salvaged mirror serves as menu board; Ceramic memo boards with dry erase markers serve as food markers; Salvaged iron panel spray-painted layered on top of vintage wallpaper as wall art

Kitchen

Kitchen Ideas: Aluminum mesh panels as decorative background in cabinets; Aluminum mesh panels line interior of chandelier; Dish towels hung with magnetic burlap flowers as window treatment; Hobnail vases as candle holder; Metal rack as hanging herb planter; Vintage scale as planter; Outdoor bistro table and chairs for in-kitchen dining; Kitchen utensils hung as wall art

Sunroom

Sunroom Ideas: Vintage peanut shell rollers placed in planter and turned into floor lamp; Birdcages turned into miniature garden planter; Infinity candle holders added to planters transform into lanterns; Vintage trough used as miniature garden planter; Suitcase turned into miniature house; Watering can turned into miniature house; Tree for made of metal tray and assorted objects

Lower Bathroom & Stairwell

Lower Bathroom & Stairwell Ideas: Dishtowels hung with clothespins as window treatment; Dishtowels hung as sink skirt; Mirrors, aluminum mesh panels, and flowers layered as wall art; Grain scoop as toilet paper holder; Mesh wall cubbie and coat rack serves as towel organizer; Outdoor lantern turned into ceiling light fixture; Paper placemats used as wall art; Salvaged architectural grid layered with metal flowers as wall art; Salvaged iron railing as screen at top of stairs

Event Coordinator Office

Event Coordinator Office Ideas: Wall stripes made of burlap and ribbon; Card table turned into bulletin board; Glass terrarium as mail holder; Salvaged porch posts affixed to wall and greeting cards hung from lines between posts as wall art; Decorative notepad paper, Plexiglass and molding turned into giant wall calendar; Chandelier made of peek-a-boo baskets; Glass added to salvaged table bases create a desk; Glass table lamp filled with tree branch and bird sun catcher; Trio planter as pencil/pen holder; Coat racks used as window valance; Twig wall hooks as curtain tiebacks; Birdcage turned into a planter

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom Ideas: Area rug as headboard; Birdcage lamps decorated with burlap ribbon, rocks and pearls; Ceramic birds as wall art in a cascade; Vintage doorknobs as finials on curtain rods; Wall mirror as vanity tray; Floor lamps made from 6x6 cedar posts and hanging light pendants; Rattan cubes turned into wall shelves; Flower pattern drilled in boards as light-up wall art; Wind chimes as ceiling chandelier

Upstairs Bathroom

Upstairs Bathroom Ideas: Handing birds as shower curtain decor; Birdcage wall shelves as towel rack and bath organizer; Molding added to windows to create interior window boxes; outdoor garden stakes as sun catchers; Garden trellis as wall art; Metal shelf as toilet paper holder; Printed bird as toilet tank decoration

Girls Bedroom

Girls Bedroom Ideas: Flowers as headboard; Light pendants made from hanging vases and metal baskets; Outdoor planters as nightstands; Salvaged fence, grapevine, florals and LED string lights as window valances; Cork added to vintage picture frames serve as bulletin boards; Owl lamps embellished with chalkboard markers; Ceramic memo boards as picture frame; Mason jar vases as makeup brush and candle holders; Ladder as a scarf rack

Event Coordinator Workshop

Event Coordinator Workshop Ideas: Chalkboard paint, moldings and bedsprings to create inspiration boards; Inspirational quotes written on chalkboard paint as wall art; Bracelets used as curtain tiebacks; Party theme ideas shown- Summer Family Reunion BBQ, Ladies Afternoon Tea, Spring Fling for Audubon Society, and In the Garden

Porch 

Porch Ideas: Vase as silverware holder; Salvaged garden trellis as wall art backdrop; Wood trays as wall art; Birdbath as serving dish; Chairs adorned with swag as spoon rest and tied with burlap ribbon; Coffee mugs as planters; Miniature trellis with ribbon as placecard holder in mug with embellished garden rocks as favors; Ribbon and decorative clip as napkin ring; Flower bulbs hanging from curly willow as centerpiece; Candle holders added to planter boxes as lanterns; Birdcage turned into floor lamp; Faucet wall hooks as curtain rod holders; Grapevine wreath layered with permanent boxwood wreath and glass ornaments as valance adornments

Outside Peace Stake Garden

Outside Peace Stake Garden Ideas: Letters stenciled on terracotta pots to create inspirational quotes

- That's a wrap! -

Which ideas where your favorites?!?! I think mine included all the ways you can hang little glass planters along with the more modern looking decor in the Living Room.  I was nice to see that they are starting to move away from some of the vintage-y upcycled stuff and into some fresher looks.

If you need more spring decor ideas, click on the links to check out their 2011 or 2012 Spring Idea Houses.  Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

PLEASE NOTE: In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way- Which means I did not decorate the rooms shown and I don't have information on the DIYs.

Love Is In the Air... Lumberjack Style

In celebration of Valentine's Day Alex & I decided to have wedding #2.....

Okay, before my mom calls me I am TOTALLY KIDDING!!!!!! I'm not that crazy :)
But we did get to play bride and groom again for a styled wedding photoshoot.  Before I show you more pretty pictures, let's back up so I can explain...

First, here's our real wedding- in case you were only going to look at the pictures and assume Alex and I just got married or something.  We got hitched in 2009 back in Michigan, small & pretty simple wedding style but totally perfect!

 

Our wedding photos were taken by Genevieve McKeiver Photography; she's the best you will find in Michigan!

Before that though, we had to get some engagement pictures taken and couldn't think of anyone better than our friend Amber Engfer!  Here's some more of Alex & I circa 2009 (I thought Alex looked so young when I looked at this, crazy!).

Since then Amber continued to grow her photography business with more gorgeous engagement, wedding, family, and other photos.  Recently, Amber's photos were also published in the Knot Magazine!  She's an amazingly talented & creative photographer and loves doing it.

Amber had been thinking about doing a themed wedding photoshoot for a while and wanted to come up with a unique concept to showcase her work.  She asked if Alex and I wanted to help bring her concept to life and naturally I said yes (who wouldn't want to be in pretty pictures?).   I never thought she'd say it was a Lumberjack theme but knowing Amber it would be fabulous!   

Sure enough, every glammed-out Lumberjack detail she envisioned turned out perfectly. The photos sure do tell a wonderful wedding story! 



Paper Goods/Labels by Kayd Roy Design





Vintage Rentals by On Solid Ground Vintage Rentals





Cake by Oven Lovin Sweets



Thank you Amber for allowing Alex and I to play bride & groom together again, it was a blast (even though Alex's Blue Steel was far better than mine- "Am I smiling, or no I'm not smiling now, do I look like I'm smiling?").

Here's the full list that brought the Lumberjack look together, quite the talented bunch of ladies!
Photography: Amber Engfer Photography
Vintage Goods: On Solid Ground Vintage Rentals
Cake: Oven Lovin Sweets
Paper Goods/Labels: Kayd Roy Design

Head Over Heels DIY Friday: Winter in Home Sweet Homewood

We live in North Minneapolis.  It's a simple statement but to local folks that statement often met with confusion and concern.... which is unfortunate (and a bit annoying).  North Minneapolis as a whole doesn't have a great reputation- and yes some parts have certainly earn that poor reputation, but honestly there are plenty of wonderful  neighborhoods that are nothing like what locals think of when they hear "North Minneapolis".   One of those neighborhoods is our home sweet Homewood.

There's something incredibly special about this little neighborhood we found in North Minneapolis and I felt like sharing some it with you today.  Although winter is not my favorite season (-2 today but feels like -25, yuck!) it brings out all the charm of Homewood.  So, I hope you'll enjoy this "DIY" glimpse of our neighborhood through my camera lense. 

Aren't the homes just beautiful?  They all look so warm & cozy covered in fluffy white snow!

You might remember in my post about our neighborhood's history that these stone pillars were erected to mark the exclusivity of Homewood.  Everytime I walk by them all I can think about is the history around me and stories of the people who lived here.

Farwell Park is a couple blocks from us and it looks so peaceful in the wintertime.  Much different in the warm seasons when it is filled up with kids from the neighborhood!  Our nephew enjoys playing here when he visits too!

Speaking of parks, just over the Plymouth bridge is Theodore Wirth Park....

It's funny to think we have a ski chalet a few blocks away, but it's a lot of fun in the winter!  Theodore Wirth is mainly a golf course in the summer but in the winter it's buzzing with winter sports including cross country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, and more! 

It's just so pretty isn't it?  Even though I am freezing right now these photos make me feel all warm and fuzzy!  I heart Homewood!

I really hope you enjoyed a stroll through Homewood with me!  Are you Head Over Heels too?

Be sure to take a look at our new countertops, sink, faucet and backsplash in our kitchen if you haven't already!  Have a great weekend everybody!

Holiday 2012 Idea House: Cozy Up to Alpine Chic Decor

Who needs decor ideas for the upcoming holidays?!?! I do!  You do too right?

Thankfully, Bachman's 2012 Holiday Idea House started today and I got a first look! This house features "a glamorous take on a rustic lodge where a cozy up north cabin meets big city bling". (Click here to check out the Holiday 2011 Idea House).  As expected, it was full of great ideas and I am sure you will find at least one of your own after seeing these pictures!

Once again, here is the background information on the Idea House just in case:

Bachman's is a Floral and Gift Garden here in Minneapolis, and their Idea House was their original founder's house built in the 1920's. The company now uses the house for their seasonal Idea House creating entirely new rooms for each of the four seasons. Everything about each room is different for each season's idea house, right down to the paint on the walls. When you enter the house you get a brochure that lists all the details for each room including the paint color and 'ideas'. The cool part- everything in each room is for sale!

Alright, I will show each room's photos then the 'ideas' after.  Now that you have the info let's get in the holiday spirit and take a look...

LIVING ROOM
Antler stems as drapery rod finials and mantel decor; Coffee table made from a wooden wagon and layered with tree rounds; Lit stems with pinecones added to decorative birch tree; Cowbells as window decor; Christmas presents wrapped with fur and burlap ribbon with ornament accents; Side table made from wood and metal sieve with glass top; End tables made from stacked luggage and glass tops; Retail jewelry case displays Dept 56 and candy mold collections; Wall embellished with hand-painted grandfather clock outline; Outdoor metal topiary lined with birch branches as tree accent; Christmas tree topped with feathers and antlers.

SUNROOM 
Wine bar made from a vintage luggage cart; Side table made from luggage and glass top; Wooden wine racks and wall vases used as mounted wall decor; Pheasant feathers as drapery finial; Vintage beverage dispenser as wine chiller; Salvaged railing post turned into a floor lamp; Vintage wooden toolbox used as wine holder; Burlap panels added to chairs.

 

DINING ROOM
Chair embellishments made from snowflake ornaments and earrings; Slices of tree trunks under glass as table decor; Antlers used in centerpiece, as drapery finials and chandelier accents; Scarves used as window valances; Sprayed holiday stencils on buffet mirror and windows; Chandelier decorated with ornaments, garland and antlers; Placecard holders made from bud vases, stems and envelopes; Decorative bark panels and bark ribbon on table and walls.

KITCHEN

Metal pulleys mounted to wall as magnet boards; Oversized vintage metal sign used as recipe magnet board; Side table/storage cabinet made from incubator sections; Towel racks made from decorative sweater-covered deer heads; Chandelier decorated with kitchen utensils and dishtowels; Metal grates used as window valances with ornament accents; Curtains made from tree-themed table runners; Workbench as a kitchen island; Recipe card holder made by adding a decorative pick to an apple.

LOWER LEVEL BATHROOM

Magazine rack doubles as a towel holder; Toilet paper holder made from a mailbox; Metal grates and ropes as a window treatment; Metal pulley as wall decor.

STAIRWELL

Snowflakes made from salvaged wood pieces; Salvaged wood doors turned into mirrors

UPPER LEVEL BATHROOM

Sheet music as wallpaper; Ornament clips as shower curtain embellishments; Wall organizer made from a metal toolbox; Window valance made from salvaged decorative wood; Ladder used as towel holder; Painted holiday stencils on a vanity mirror; Wire candleholder turned into a toilet paper holder.

BOY'S BEDROOM

Headboard made from a basketball backboard and rope lighting; Basketball rim mounted to a wall as nightstand; Media unit made from vintage lockers; Basketball cage turned into a desk; Graph chalkboards hung from metal rulers as wall art; Accent pillow and Christmas tree made from a referee shirt; Mini basketball hoops and pillowcases turned into laundry bins; Basketball halves turned into table lamps, planters and valance decor; Ceiling pendant made from acrylic clipboards; Pegboard covered in contact paper with basketball court outline.

GIRL'S BEDROOM
Headboard made from a cabinet and table; Chandelier made from painted and deconstructed plastic water bottles; Hose reel as tinsel Christmas tree base; Window screens as mounted on walls as decorative magnet board and wall art; Wall calendar made of clear bulb ornaments filled with candy; Wall covered with furry blankets; Floor and table lamps decorated with colored tissue paper; Wall organizer lined with wrapping paper; Window valances wrapped in yarn.

MASTER BEDROOM

Vintage arched window as headboard; Lamps filled with holiday ornaments; Canary shipping cages as wall-mounted candleholders; Birdcage as ceiling lamp; Hand painted family tree with hanging frame ornaments; Dresser top covered in sheet music; Doilies used as floral holiday ornaments; Window valance made from salvaged decorative wood; Metal planter as nightstand; Wreath holder as scarf hook; Eucalyptus branches as fragrant Christmas tree decor; Jewelry holder made from vintage retail key tag fixture.

DEN

Metal topiary filled with pinecones as Christmas tree; Salvaged wood and oversized black and white photo turned into a wall-mounted TV cabinet; Vintage trunk as coffee table; Metal worker's cabinet as bookshelves; Birch pole and metal pinecones as wall art; Ceiling pendant made from birch poles and deer table runner; Salvaged wood and old pedestals turned into a sofa table; Birch poles as valances with pinecone finials; Vintage snowshoes and birch logs as wall sconces.

PORCH

House numbers on vintage winter skis; Wall tree made from cinnamon stick bundles and ribbon; Holiday cardholders made of ribbon and magnets; Galvanized planter box turned into a coffee table; Church pews as benches; Birch logs as drapery finials; Saddlebag as wall planter; Salvaged wood rounds and lantern turned into a ceiling light; Christmas stocking used as mailbag.

BACKYARD

Wooden skis behind wreaths as wall decor; Toboggan as valance on potting shed; Holiday "peace" sign made from metal ribbon; Birding tree made of pinecones, suet and birdfeed ornaments; Spruce tops planted into flowerbeds to create mini forests.

If you need more Holiday decor ideas, click this link to see the Holiday 2011 house.  

**********************

PLEASE NOTE: In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way (which means I did not decorate the rooms shown). I am a HUGE fan of the Ideas House and love sharing it as long as they allow people take photographs when they visit. It seems lots of people get confused about that if they stop by via Google Images or Pinterest and I would NEVER want to take credit for something I did not work on. So I hope that's clear!

Which ideas where your favorites?!?!

Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

September Head Over Heels Friday: Fall Idea Shopping at Bachman's Fall Idea House

Get ready, it is time for Bachman's 2012 Fall Idea House!   This fall house features "Cool Trends for Fall Gatherings" focusing on celebrating the season with friends, family, and pets- trust me, the pets part is a must see!.  (Click here to check out the Fall 2011 Idea House).  How perfect that the Idea House timing fit right in my September "Fall Idea Shopping" theme?!?!

Once again, here is the background information on the Idea House just in case:

Bachman's is a Floral and Gift Garden here in Minneapolis, and their Idea House was their original founder's house built in the 1920's. The company now uses the house for their seasonal Idea House creating entirely new rooms for each of the four seasons. Everything about each room is different for each season's idea house, right down to the paint on the walls. When you enter the house you get a brochure that lists all the details for each room including the paint color and 'ideas'.  The cool part- everything in each room is for sale!

Let's kick things off outside this time, I will list all the Ideas at the end of each room. Go!

Outdoors

Wall flowers made from burlap wreaths, wheat and honeysuckle vine; Hanging wicker balls with pumpkins as tree decor; Sunkist cart as planter; Tires lines with burlap as planters; Bedspring as wall planter

Porch

Wood planks pieced together as a rug; Beer bottle chandelier; Artwork framed with bottle caps; Bottle caps with magnets as curtain clips; Dish towels as curtains; Kegs as stools; Beer tap/keg made from old trunk.

Wicker ball filled with florals hung with burlap as door decor

Dining Room

Outdoor lanterns turned into table lamps; Drum shade embellished with stems and wicker balls; Candle holders as place cards; Wooden spools as candle holders; Cinnamon sticks as floral decor; Metal panels as window treatments; Fall stems as napkin rings.

Kitchen

Metal rolling cart as wall shelf; Plant stands as stools; Vintage trunk as wall organizer; Curtain rods made from salvaged wood and hooks with dishtowels as window treatments; Galvanized baskets as towel holder/organizer; Salvaged metal stand as center island; Hanging starter vases filled with gems as chandelier decor; Floral vase as utensil holder; Cupboard walls lined with tablecloth.

Living Room

Conveyer belt as coffee table; Shelving unit made from salvaged metal and wood; Galvanized planters used as wall shelves and cubbies; Whiskey barrel straps as firewood holder; Planter box with added frames along radiator; Fireplace planter made from a window box; Floor and table lamps made from metal and burlap shades; Optometrist table as wine bar; Wine glasses embellished with twine and fall leaves; Wine bag embellished with stems and wine stopper.



Sunroom

Room divider made from a pallet and iron panel; Metal garden orb and decorative candle holder added to chandelier; Wine balls as finials; Candles embellished with twine and pins; Radiator drip tray as planter base filled with rocks.

Stairwell

Farm discs as wall art magnet board; Metal vase turned into table lamp; Chandelier embellished with wicker balls; Assorted cabinet doors as wall art; Wood spools as vases; Glass cabinet door as photo frame; Vases added to window for hanging art.

Dog Room



Dog bone chandelier; "Doggy Day Times" placemat as wall art; Key chains as window embellishments; Metal dog bowls turned into wall mirrors; Dog bed made from an upside-down table and an old chair; Dog bowl dish holder as wall sconces; Vegetable garden raised bed base and metal topiary as doggy cabana; Done done shaped pool; Dog bowls stacked as side table; Dog bone topiaries made from foam and moss.

Nursery

Changing table made from a buffet; Cloth diapers used as organization pockets; Salvage metal turned into a wall shelf; Mobile made from a branch and origami birds; Bird wall art made from nails and colored yarn; Salvaged wood, rope, and clips as photo holders; Ceiling shade embellished with safety pins; Stickers on mirrors as word art.

Master Bedroom

Headboard made from doors; Wall mirror used as wall shelf; Cork tiles under glass for side table; Candle holder as vase; Window treatments across entire wall.

Upstairs Bath

Bark panel wallpaper; Leaves framed as wall art; Napkin holder as toilet paper holder; Shower curtain embellished by flower magnets; Wire baskets as towel holders; Stems between windows as fall decor; Candle tray as wall shelf.

Office

Desk made from old doors and fabric; Crates as wall unit and magnet board; Salvaged metal tray as pegboard; File holder as wall planter; Wood planter box as ceiling pendant; Chalkboards as file box labels; Metal panels as window treatments; Wooden spools as drapery finials.

Garage

Faux fireplace scene made from tarpaper and chalk; Centerpiece made from a galvanized trough; Placecard holders made from mini-lanterns; Leather doors and tissue backdrop as wall art; Witches brooms in planters; Mummy hands as lantern holders; Napkin rings made from skull bracelets; Halloween rings and decals added to wine glasses.

Phew!  Tons of decorating ideas right?  Which ideas were you Head Over Heels for?  I know I am loving the outdoor decor, the dining room tablescape, the trunk turned keg/tap (we have a trunk we've been looking for ideas for, oh boy!), the nursery with the cute wall mirrors, the skeleton centerpiece, and the dog room.... oh that dog room was crazy fun!  I do love it, but not enough to execute something that crazy in our house :)

Click here to see week #1's Fall Decor Shopping Ideas

If you need more Fall decor ideas, click this link to see the Fall 2011 house. 

To view all Spring, Summer, Fall, and Holiday Idea House posts click here.

**********************

PLEASE NOTE: In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way (which means I did not decorate the rooms shown). I am a HUGE fan of the Ideas House and love sharing it as long as they allow people take photographs when they visit. It seems some people have been confused about that and I would NEVER want to take credit for something I did not work on. There, I feel better now :)

Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

Linking this post up...

Stop by Southern Hospitality and join the party!

Head Over Heels Friday: Bachman's 2012 Spring Idea House

It's an extra special Head Over Heels post!  Why?  Well, I was super excited to share it and I feel bad that I didn't get posts written for our Guest Room and Master Bedroom project as promised.  But I am sure you will forgive me after you see all the pretty images in this post :)

Get ready, it is time for Bachman's 2012 Spring Idea House!   This Spring's house is a "Relaxing Renewal" celebrating spring energy and renewal.  As expected, the house was incredibly inspiring so it had to be in this week's Head Over Heels spotlight.

I think by now you know the drill with the Idea House but just in case:
Bachman's is a Floral and Gift Garden here in Minneapolis, and their Idea House was their original founder's house built in the 1920's. The company now uses the house for their seasonal Idea House creating entirely new rooms for each of the four seasons. Everything about each room is different for each season's idea house, right down to the paint on the walls. When you enter the house you get a brochure that lists all the details for each room including the paint color and 'ideas'. The cool part? Everything in each room is for sale!

We'll start in the Dining Room, I will list all the Ideas at the end of each room. I tried to keep this post a little more simplified than the ones in the past, hope you still enjoy it!

Dining Room

Hand-carved Hungarian dough bowls hung as wall art and planters
Napkins and metal flower clips used as chair decor
Envelopes as guest place cards
Craft tags as wine charms
Striped wallpaper made from tree wrap
Window valance made from table runner and clip-on tablecloth weights
Hanging glass bottles with jewels added to lampshade to create a chandelier

Kitchen



Newspaper as wallpaper and cupboard decor
Swinging restroom doors used for wall decor and organization
Bin scoops as wall shelves
Wire baskets and plants as window valances
Lighting added to permanent vine ball to create chandelier
Radiator turned into shelving unit
Wicker baskets with decorative forks as utensil storage
Table runner used as a window valance
Planted mason jar mugs and seed packet party favors
Wood drawer turned into wall shelf

Living Room

Statement wall piece made from vintage ceiling tins and medallions with mirrors
Coffee table made from a roof vent cover and mirror on a laundry basket base
Side table made from salvaged wood
Milk can as container/ vase
Salvaged buckets and pails used as planters
Decorative tin panels, fabric and lights added to built-in cabinets

Sunroom

Church pew used as a table bench
Tall, frosted glass vase turned into a table lamp
Twine balls used as curtain finials
Crates used as rustic vase holders
Oversized metal paperclip used as a napkin ring

Lower Level Bathroom

Metal bin drawer used as toilet paper holder
Collage of vintage-inspired mirrors
Iron grate and table runner used as window treatments
Twine holders as towel racks

Front Porch

House numbers cut out of sheet moss
Metal sink used as a potting bench
Clothespins as plant markers
Egg shells as seed pots
Toothpicks and page flags as plant markers
Artwork made from seed packets and springs
Vintage theater seats decorated with burlap letters to spell "GROW"
Seed pots turned into light shades
Suncatchers made from marbles and wood planks
Permanent moss orbs and discs as ceiling art
Lawyer's cabinet used as storage unit

Stairwell

Wall decor made from framed birch poles, permanent stems and canvases

Curtain panels made from oversized shutters

Vase mobile made from bundled birch

Radiator drip pans and doorknob plates used as wall art with coat hooks

Master Bedroom

Headboard made from a wall painting and garden trellis
Salvaged tin nightstands
Writing desk made from sawhorse legs and salvaged wood with postcards under glass
Window frame as standing mirror
Vases and book pages turned into floor lamps
Fireplace screen and vintage photos as wall art
Floral pins as drapery tiebacks
Vase trio as pencil holder
Jewelry organizer made from wall frames and iron twigs
Ceiling light fixture made from garden orb and permanent floral stems

Boy's "Jungle" Bedroom

"Grass Hut" bed loft made from scrapped wood and thatching
Light string made from coconuts
Bamboo pieces cut into dresser handles
Bamboo made wall canopy with permanent green plant accents
Permanent green plants and stems as window valances
Monkey-shaped vinyl decals applied to boards as hanging decoration
Tree stump and grass mat as a table and chairs
Floor lamp and table lamp made from coco basket liners, bamboo & tree rounds
Turtles with magnets as tic-tac-toe wall game
"Grass Path" floor rug to bed made from grass mat
Tiki torches with tissue paper flames

Girl's "Garden" Bedroom

Window valances and light shade made from garden fence
Storage bin labels made from floral candle rings and stenciled fabric
Hardware cabinet as nightstand
Garden gate with metal flowers as headboards
Quilt hoops as wall frames and bulletin board
Children's chairs used as wall shelves
Baby bathtub used for toy storage
Spools used as drawer pulls
Magnet boards made from cabinet doors

Upstairs Bath

Wine bottle holder as towel rack
Keys hung as shower curtain embellishments
Wall case trio used as toothbrush holder
Permanent greens fashioned as window valance
Wine bottles filled with colored water and permanent floral stems placed in window & toilet tank
Wicker vase and wall hooks used for toilet paper storage

Inspiration Den

Barn door hung on wall slides to hide TV
Hand-painted window drapes made with decorative paint roller
Wall shelves made of books
Wheelbarrow cart as coffee table
Windmill base turned into floor lamp
Windowpanes turned into decorative bulletin board
Decorative papier-mache globes
Hand painted table lamp and shade
Wire baskets as DVD & magazine storage
Coin purses as wall mounted storage pockets
Lamp shade frame embellished with keys

Lastly, take a look at these cute ideas in the hallways.  Bachman's did have them listed in the brochure, but I thought they were so clever!  I loved the antique clock in the laundry chute and the lantern near the backdoor entrance along with rustic hooks.

Too many great decorating ideas right?!? Which ones were you Head Over Heels for?

I thought they came up with a lot of fun window valance ideas, but my favorites were the collage of vintage mirrors in the lower level bath and the chandeliers made from the lampshades with hanging glass bottles.

What did you love?!?! What are you inspired to add in your own home?
 The Idea House will be open until April 15th, if you are local make sure you stop by!  It's hard to miss the big pink house :)

If you want more inspiration, here are the links to past Idea Houses: Holiday 2011, Fall 2011, Summer 2011, Spring 2011, and Holiday 2010.  

************************

PLEASE NOTE: In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way (which means I did not decorate the rooms shown). I am a HUGE fan of the Ideas House and love sharing it as long as they allow people take photographs when they visit. It seems some people have been confused about that and I would NEVER want to take credit for something I did not work on. There, I feel better now :)

Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

Linking this post up over at Southern Hospitality!

Bachman's 2011 Holiday Idea House: The Elegance of Winter

Get ready for some major Holiday inspiration!  It is time once again for Bachman's Idea House!

I think by now you know the drill with the Idea House but just in case:
Bachman's is a Floral and Gift Garden here in Minneapolis, and their Idea House was their original founder's house built in the 1920's. The company now uses the house for their seasonal Idea House creating entirely new rooms for each of the four seasons. Everything about each room is different for each season's idea house, right down to the paint on the walls. When you enter the house you get a brochure that lists all the details for each room including the paint color and 'ideas'. The cool part? Everything in each room is for sale!
 
We'll start in the Sunroom this time, I will list all the Ideas at the end of each room.

Get your Pin It ready, here we go!
The Sunroom

Metal wall urns used as planters

Side table made from a silver-painted log, silver tray and glass round

Birdcages filled with a miniature garden and clip-on bird ornaments

Metal arms added to Christmas tree that hold bird's nests made of honeysuckle vine and tinsel with battery operated candles

Garden fence repurposed as greeting card holder

Topiary embellished with ornaments

The Living Room

Salvaged porch rail turned into wall shelf
Glass light fixtures and wire laundry baskets turned into side tables
Vintage child sized bed frame, bedspring, glass and doilies used as a coffee table
Cabinet doors decorated using foam board, fabric, ribbon and jewelry pins
Outdoor birdbath transformed into a side table with glass top
Ivy topiaries decorated with clip on bird ornaments
Spindle legs added to a suitcase creating a dog bed
Sofa throw pillow and Christmas stockings embellished with jewelry pins
Garden stool used as side table with lights added
Large candelabra embellished with shatter proof ornaments, bottlelabra and greenery
Fireplace Mantel & Hearth:
Salvages architectural wood pieces as frame
Salvaged whiskey barrel ring, ball ornaments, and wreath made into larger wreath
Wicker baskets and candles embellished with ribbon and jewelry pins
Salvaged mirrors added to hearth
Garden fence added to inside of windows; used as easy hooks for crystal ornaments

The Entry

Salvaged porch post turned into a coat rack
Vintage plant stand used for repurposed church lanterns


The Dining Room

Decorative wood headboard and footboard turned into a planter and filled with silver-sprayed garden hydrangeas, ivy plants, tree-toppers, candlesticks and candles
Wallpaper hung to add interest on wall; edges finished with narrow silver ribbon
Oversized silver wreath made from vintage silver trays and chargers
Punch and snack tray cups turned into garland and hung in windows
Birdbath decorated with glass cloche, moss, silk ivy, flowers and figurines
Hutch decorated with metal trees with battery-operated LED lights
Dining Room Table and Chairs:
Table set with layered fabric remnants, felt fabric, table runners, lace, and mirrors
Chairs embellished with folded napkins, oversized tassel ornaments, and brooches
Candelabra embellished with ornaments and napkin-ring candle rings
Photo frames with pictures used as place card holders
Chandelier embellished with "crystal" plastic punch cups

The Kitchen

Wallpaper made from placemats
Light fixture made from a commercial colander
Pot rack made from salvaged wood ladder
Towel and soap holder made from a vintage basket
Wall shelf made from the front of a vintage church organ
Vintage baking pans used as wall art
Curtain valance made from salvaged rood architectural pieces and kitchen utensils
Vintage cookbook turned utensil holder
Vintage metal lawyers cabinet turned into storage shelves
Shelves decorated with vintage milk glass bottles and ornaments
Mashers used as recipe cardholders

Lower Bathroom

Salvaged wood rail turned into towel holder and shelf
Salvaged ceiling tins turned into a mirror

The Stairwell

Vintage salvaged letters and frames to spell "Peace" and "Joy"

Step risers to spell out "Twas the night before Christmas..." using stencils, laminated paper, and ribbon

Curtain tiebacks made of ribbon and jewelry pins

Boy's Bedroom: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Headboard made from a vintage schoolroom chalkboard decorated with LED Christmas lights and tail-light cover ornaments
Bedskirt made from salvaged wheelbarrow tires
Orange traffic cone turned into ceiling light fixture
Railroad track wall decor made from salvaged metal and wood
Closet doorknob created from old steering wheel
Salvaged railroad crossing sign used as wall decor

Desk made from truck gate and jacks

Desk chair from car bucket seat

Shelves created from truck sideboards and vintage signs

Wall art created using flower pots and fan blades

Curtain valance and floor runner made from tire tread

Painted road on wall created with magnetic paint and magnetic cars

Storage bins made from a folding ladder

Floor lamp and table lamp made using salvaged auto parts

Plastic oil containers transformed into pencil holders

Girl's Bedroom: Bohemian Woodland

Regarding the trellis- note this is NOT my home (and I do not have a daughter, son, or any children yet, LOL) it is a design "Idea House" we were able to attend and they didn't give us information regarding where the trellis was found or purchased from.  I've gotten a lot of emails asking about it and I'm sorry I don't have further info, but hope that saves you the trouble of sending an email if you were about to :)

Bed canopy made from garden trellis with wood shelves added
Bed canopy lights created using LED lights and paper cups
Steering wheel covers covered with salvaged metal circles and decorated with car magnets
Accent pillows made from scrap fabric and headbands
Ceiling light fixture created from a vintage garden basket and tassel key chains
Christmas tree in a vintage child's sleigh decorated with stuffed toys, socks, and ornaments
Decorative wall tree and window valance made from wood scraps and cupcake liner flowers
Lamp decorated with boho wrap and buttons
Round magnet boards made from spray-painted cake pans and buttons
Vintage laundry cart, wood cart and tin pails used for storage
Wood picnic table repurposed as a desk
Jump rope and clothes pins used to hang artwork

Upper Level Bathroom

Wall mounted vintage basket with ribbon used as towel storage
Curtain valence made from Christmas garland and small-framed mirrors
Sink shelf made of salvaged wood corbels and floor gate
Drawer pull used to make a towel bar
Robe hooks made with picture frame, lace, and wall hooks
Spa-inspired words spelled out on package labels hanging from shower curtain
Vintage stomper turned into extra toilet paper holder
Floor grate and twine holder made into a toilet paper holder

The Master Bedroom

Bed frame made from salvaged vintage porch posts
Child's bedspring hung as wall art
Glass vases turned into candle holders tied with tree trim garland and filled with birch logs, black and white photos, and candles
Laundry basket used for Christmas tree base
Vintage dress form used to display jewelry
Salvaged wood architecture pieces turned into wall shelves
Bedside table made from a sewing machine base and vintage NY Times books
Curtain rods decorated with Christmas ornaments
Artwork displayed using vintage doorknob hooks and clothes hangers
Wood architecture railing piece used as shoe organizer in the closet
Christmas tree decorated with salvaged spindles, scarves, necklaces, picture frames and photos
Gas station bathroom mirrors layered with hand mirrors on wall


The Craft Room: Inspiration Room

Bulletin boards made from doors covered with foam board and fabric
Craft letters spell out words of inspiration on doors
Salvaged ladders turned into shelves
Wall covered in fabric and buttons
A Christmas tree made from bedsprings and balls of twine
Vintage hardware store spinner used for storage
Commercial bakery bread pans stacked as organizing trays
Salvaged chair parts reassembled to make a new chair
Christmas tree made from paper towels and fabric using chicken wire as a frame
Locker doors turned into storage and magnet boards
T-squares used as wall hooks
Restaurant order spinner used in the ceiling light fixture
Bandannas used as curtain valances
Vintage book and magazine spinner used as a craft organizer
Salvaged picture frame and chicken wire used as decorative paint and paintbrush holder
Wire baskets become ribbon display/ holders
Vintage steam trunk used as organizer
Small rag rugs pieced together to make an area rug

The Front Porch



House numbers made from log sections and painted numbers
Coffee table made from salvaged wood architectural pieces
Wine bottle tree made from a birch tree trunk, dowels, spruce tops, wine bottles and LED lights
Window "flocked" using spray paint and lace tablecloth (easily wipes off)
Lanterns filled with now, small ornaments and battery-operated LED candles
Silver serving pieces used as decorative swag on the door
Curtain valance made of paper towels and assorted greenery
Ceiling decoration made from greenery, plastic plant saucer and shatterproof ornaments
Bed springs repurposed into a Christmas tree
Sofa "upholstered" with clothesline and sweaters
LED lights in wicker candle holders/ vases surrounded by fresh greens
Woodland arrangement featuring fresh greens, birch tree poles and battery-operated LED candles inside of wine bottles

Phew!  Got all of that?!?

What were your favorite Ideas?

I LOVED the Master Bedroom!  That Christmas tree was so feminine and elegant!  I also loved the stacked books that had a message printed on each cover along with the mini birch logs inside the candle holders.

OH!  I totally loved the message on the staircase too!  However, it still wasn't as cool as what we did with our staircase last year :)  But maybe we will do without putting snow in the house and just write out a message this time!

Click here to see the 2010 Holiday House and 2011 Spring, Summer, and Fall Houses

************************

PLEASE NOTE:  In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way (which means I did not decorate the rooms shown).  I am a HUGE fan of the Ideas House and love sharing it as long as they allow people take photographs when they visit.  It seems some people have been confused about that and I would NEVER want to take credit for something I did not work on.  There, I feel better now :)

Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

Head Over Heels Friday: The Ultimate Halloween Inspiration, Donny Dirks Zombie Den

I've been so anxious to share this Twin Cities haunt here on the blog and I couldn't think of any better time than Halloween!  If you are a local resident there's no doubt you have been to (or at least heard of) Psycho Suzies Motor Lounge. But, I bet you have never been to their creepier drinkery Donny Dirk's Zombie Den. Donny Dirks opened back in 2009 right here in North Minneapolis.  Alex and I couldn't resist checking it out when we heard about it...

A bar with a year-round zombie den theme???  What does that look like?

Well, it is pretty un-real, un-expected, and uh-AMAZING! I felt pretty stunned when I walked in, like I had crossed over into a surreal dream (errr, maybe that is after one of their 'poisoned' concoctions?). Alex and I knew we had found our new favorite little bar and have been going back again and again ever since.  I am sooo Head Over Heels for Donny Dirks Zombie Den!

The decor has been described as classy kitsch, a zombie-fied twist on a 1950's Vegas Lounge.  You are curious right?  Let's take a peek inside?  BEWARE OF ZOMBIE ATTACKS, here we go!

 

I am unsure of who Undead Frank is, but his neon sign glows as a centerpiece above their bar along with a set of samurai swords.  Random right?  That's the point!

Their glassware doubles as decor with green lighting and smokey mirrored tiles behind. The chalkboard adds to the fun listing their 'Zombie Poisons'.

Above the bar are more smokey mirrored tiles, spooky tray lighting to enhance the crown moulding, and a mounted deer head complete with a red mohawk of course.

I absolutely love how their drink mixers are arranged like medicines in a mad doctors lab. Have you seen a cocktail made using an eyedropper??? I have!

Here's a look at the booths and seating.  Note the mirrored tile walls, lighting, olive green tufted seating with nail head trim, and probably the most interesting detail of all- tiger striped carpet!  Meow!!! Getting that 50's Vegas lounge feel now? 

The decor behind the booths adds to the creepy zombie-like ambiance with gothic candelabras, dead flowers, distressed/ graffittied wood trim, and a blood stained paddle.

Along the wall opposite of the bar are some mounted zombie heads.

If you look up at the beautiful vintage tin tile ceiling, you get a glance of the classic glass chandeliers complete with faux crows.

And.... in case of an actual zombie attack emergency, they have a chainsaw on hand :)

Isn't this place just strangely amazing???

Even better, if you stop by to grab a drink, you can also enjoy a tacky horror movie!  They have a TON of them on hand that play on two flat screens at each end of the bar.  Alex and I often find these movies to be hilariously over the top and cheesy :) adds a little more kitsch!

They have a great selection of beers that are served in large goblets.  I always recommend their Dark and Stormy, a mix of Ginger Beer and Rum- it is quite delightful!

If you are local, are you going to go get your zombie on at Donny Dirks???  Keep an eye out for this little green brick building on 2nd and 21st just behind Washington Ave.

Zombies and non-zombies are welcome :)

Are you Head Over Heels for Donny Dirks Zombie Den?


My trip to Donny Dirks certainly gave me more inspiration for my 'spooky' sideboard decor! Can't wait to show you how it turns out!  Also, the ceiling painting is wrapping up today, then our home is back in our hands!  Today is certainly an awesome Friday! 

Have a great weekend everybody!

**********
Update 10.24.11: The mystery of 'Undead Frank' is solved thanks to Megan at Nomi Passenger!  Undead Frank refers to Stand Up Franks- a bar that used to occupy the space that Donnie Dirks Zombie Den now sits in.  Stand Up Franks was a notorious hang out for gangs, the city eventually shut them down.  Thankfully,  this space was revamped into the unique establishment it is today! Gotta love it when something negative turns into something positive!

Head Over Heels Friday: Vintage Finds from Art and Architecture in St. Paul

I have a new favorite spot for vintage finds in the Twin Cities, Art and Architecture in St. Paul!  So many glorious, gorgeous piles of vintage goods... heaven! I am totally Head Over Heels!

~scroll to the bottom to see what I took home!~

I found out about this wonderful place from Megan over at Nomi Passenger.  She mentioned it during our National I Heart Thrifting Day adventure.  So glad we finally got a chance to get together and check it out!  They have just about everything you could want when it comes to vintage decor.  The prices are great (you can even bargain) and it is a bit neater than my other favorite spot Bauer Brothers Salvage.

I couldn't believe this mountain of crates!  Reasonably priced as well!  I wish I knew about this when I was searching for crates for my Dressing Room!

They also had TONS of maps!  Some were antique maps of the Twin Cities.  I was able to find one of our neighborhood from the early 1900's even before our home existed, it was pretty neat.

Here are a few other pictures of the shop...

(Pardon the blurriness- I didn't have the fancy pants camera with me...boo!)

We even found an old fencing mask mixed in with all the merchandise.  Megan and I couldn't pass up taking a goofy photo of me with the fencing mask on... On Guard!

Also a bonus, next door is Cupcake!  You can grab coffee, a treat, and head over to start thrifting!  It made for a perfect Saturday morning!

So what did I get???
This old wood crate/ caddy for bottles or kitchen storage

I'm thinking I might have to paint something fun on this, maybe a number or an old sign type thing?

An old metal crate to hold bottles

Sort of like this...

Did you notice a theme with those 2 items?  Both are for holding bottles... I might have mentioned before that Alex is into home brewing beer.  That means there are always empty bottles around because he needs to clean and reuse them for new batches of beer.  I thought it would be fun to get him a couple crates/ caddies for his bottles so they don't look quite as messy and can also help him transport bottles from the kitchen to his 'brewing lab'.

Lastly, I got this cute vintage wire basket.  I thought it would fit perfect on that old stool from Bauer Brothers that I refurbished.  We have been keeping the stool in our dining room and for now we placed the numbered chair covers I made in the wire basket.

We don't always have the covers on the chairs so I think this is a nice way to still enjoy them.

Are you Head Over Heels for Art and Architecture?  What about my vintage finds?

 Hope to get going on a project for the wood caddy soon!  Have a great weekend everybody!

'Hot' Ideas: Bachman's Summer Idea House

Get excited for a look at Bachman's Summer Idea House!  This house takes a fresh approach to casual living with it's "New Naturals Celebrate the Outdoors" theme.

Bachman's is a home and garden store here in the Twin Cities.  They set up their Idea House 4 times a year with themes for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  For additional background info on Bachman's Idea house click on this link and review my first post about Bachman's.  Also, click these links to see their Spring or Holiday Idea Houses.  

Now, let's get to it! 
We'll start with my favorite part of this season's Idea House- the stunning outdoor spaces! 
The best part of summer is being outside and they didn't disappoint with their fresh and fun outdoor ideas.

This space called 'The Nook' was set up as an outdoor reading and writing room.
Could you imagine a more soothing and inspiring place to blog in?

These straw hats along the window shade add charm to the space.

These vintage word plates were used to create a wall poem. Also, they used salvaged corbels and wire to create a shelf.

The typewriter, jars, and birdcage ooze with a vintage feel atop the desk.

The letter 'Z' was cut out using vintage ceiling tiles.  Love the numbered pillow as well (we have a few like them at home too).

This step ladder was used as a bookshelf. The addition of the clip on lights was simply illuminating (get it?). Oh I'm a nerd.

Here is a peek at the outside of 'The Nook' Can you believe all that design fits in there?

Along the side of 'The Nook' were cute birdbaths and wreaths created from clay pots.

The backside is decorated with garden hose and bundt pans turned into flowers.

The next outdoor space called 'Garden Party' was equally as sweet.  

They used a vintage bed frame with mismatched chairs to create an amazing dining area.  How fun is that?!? The bed frame posts are placed in large clay flower pots as a secure and decorative base.

Here on the table they used seed packets as napkin/ utensil holders, terra cotta saucers as chargers, vintage watering cans as vases, mason jars as candle holders, and lotus votive holders planted in terra cotta pots.

It looks just perfect for an afternoon or evening summer celebration.

Over in the Garage they had a birthday party set up. 

Here you can see the garland and wall collage made from colorful paper bags and plates.

I just love the simple vintage booth with benches along the walls.

A Ferris wheel was used for candy and plants.  Pop cans were also used as floral vases.

Now let's head inside for a peek at how they decorated the interior for summer.

Front Porch

This glass table was held up using using a garden fence below.

 

I just loved the vintage rake used as a margarita/ wine glass holder, just fun and summer-y.

Plants stored in vintage lockers was fun and unexpected.

Here they used hay hooks as a decorative ceiling hanger.

Dining Room
This great chandelier was made out of garden fence.

The table settings included a plastic glove mold utensil holder (sadly it's not visible in this picture), bracelet napkin rings, salvaged wood candle trays, silk leaves as decor, and scarves with broaches for chair decor.

The buffet had an adorable beverage set up with different water and lemonade mixtures- perfect summer refreshment!

The wall decor was made from mirrored cake pans and salvaged metal fence pieces.  It was gorgeous!  The wine rack/ table was made from salvaged wood.

Living Room
The wall collage was made from mounted vintage shutters.  I loved they way they layered them perfectly. It even makes me wonder if we have any of those hiding out in the basement or garage.....

This great coffee table was made from salvaged scrap wood and metal fencing. The summer idea house really oozes with DIY spirit (probably because it's finally nice enough to go outside in Minnesota).

I just loved the side tables but I think they may have been vintage reproductions. Forgot to get more info on these, but I love that industrial feel.

Placemats were used as wallpaper above the fireplace.  The mirror frame was made from wood shims and a tree stump was used as plant stand in the hearth. Funny, I think there are a few extra stumps in my neighborhood since last Sunday.

This side table was a vintage hospital tray.

How cute is this vintage file cabinet as a plant stand?

The Sunroom

Here they used another garden fence chandelier.

My favorite part of this room were the salvaged pipe and wood display shelves.

The Kitchen
Love the vintage garden fence turned wall mounted pot rack!

The shelving and jars look so lovely with it.

The always do something fun with the light fixture in the kitchen.  I thought the wooden spoons chandelier was delightful.

This vintage shopping cart was used as pot and utensil storage. Love the addition of the burlap to line the cart basket.

They tied together the 'strawberry' color scheme for the kitchen with green glasses and pops of red textiles.

The Lower Level Bathroom
Wood basket tops were used as wall decor.

This galvanized bin was mounted to the wall for storage.  Also, it is a small detail, but I thought the twine around the toilet paper was so cute!

This clothesline used as a towel holder was also so sweet and charming.

Girl's Bedroom
Different from the Spring Idea House, they seemed to age up the girl's room to maybe a Tween-age girl?  They had even created a daybed from garden fencing.

I loved how they used a vintage window frame for the light fixture

The desk was also made from garden fencing.  The wall decor by the desk included flowers made from cork board mats, trivets, coasters and tape measurers.

Boy's Bedroom
I have to say, the best boy's room I have ever seen was the Spring Idea house.  Again, I think they were age-ing up the boy's and girl's rooms this year.  The theme in this room was skateboarding.  I honestly didn't care for it all that much mostly because this theme lacks vintage style, so I couldn't connect with it all that well (and I am not a boy, ha).  One neat thing was the headboard made from scrap wood and metal.

The wall shelves made from skateboards were fun too along with the skater chalkboard decal.

Master Bedroom
The summer theme here was clear with the headboard made from oars and paddles.  Also, it is hard to see in this picture, but the nightstands were made from clothes-drying racks.

I loved this vintage truck dolly used as a magazine rack.

They used a decorative piece of salvaged wood for scarf and jewelry storage.

Media Room
I thought this was fun and different this time around.  Normally the spare room upstairs is turned into a craft room, but this time it was a Media Room- perfect for entertainment on rainy summer days or nights.  Note in this photo the lamp shade made from photo film and curtain valences made from film reels.

I loved this vintage shelving unit with old bingo cards used for storage.

Vintage lockers and a salvaged wood barn door were turned into the media unit.  Slide carousels were turned into mirrors.

The coffee table was made out of a game table.

Here is a closer look on the chair cushion, it was made from a grain sack, loved it!

Upper Level Bathroom
This photo holder was made from an old garden trellis, ceiling tin and magnet clothespins.

I thought this was hilarious and adorable.  They used a vintage frame around the toilet paper and added the letters 'TP' above it.  How fun!?!

The towel holders embraced the same idea, using wood picture frames, hooks and vintage hangers.

So that's it!  What did you think?  One thing I noticed was how open and clear the spaces seemed in comparison to their Holiday Idea House.  You could tell they intended to make the interiors feel more cozy for the colder months and more open in the warmer months.  I also think they paid more attention to the outdoor spaces this time since that is where most of us prefer to spend our time in the summer.
So, did you get tons of fun new ideas? 

I was so happy to get a chance to see Bachman's Idea House over the weekend, it was a nice way to get back to thinking about normal things after the tornado (which I promise to stop talking about once our house is back to normal).

Maybe I can set up a cute little outdoor party this summer once our house is put back together?  Thanks for stopping by to check out the Idea House!

************************

PLEASE NOTE: In case you didn't read the top of the post, I just want to reiterate that this IS NOT OUR HOUSE and I am not employed or affiliated with Bachman's in any way (which means I did not decorate the rooms shown). I am a HUGE fan of the Ideas House and love sharing it as long as they allow people take photographs when they visit. It seems some people have been confused about that and I would NEVER want to take credit for something I did not work on. There, I feel better now :)

Hope you found some inspiration, thanks for stopping by!

Things Are Looking Up

It has been almost a week since the tornado hit our neighborhood.  Our house is 'buttoned up' for now and things are getting cleaned up; although the chainsaws and bulldozers haven't stopped.  Even with some craziness still going on, I woke up today and felt better.  Better in the sense that I feel like I can go back to living life as usual.  This past week everything was turned upside down and any sense of security and normalcy in life was gone.  I was unable to think of anything else but our house, roof, yard, dogs, contractors, insurance, my community, and neighbors.  Nothing else mattered much in my mind.  

Today (finally), others things (the normal things) started coming back and it feels good.  I went for a run with a good friend and Alex got out for a bike ride with his friend.  I got to dig into some blogs I love and got out to see some home decor.  I even did my hair and have my signature high heels on- ahhh it feels good to not feel like a hot mess for the first time in a while!  It is just nice to feel like my mind is free from all the stress.  Even though I understand my home will become a construction zone in a few weeks (wa-wa).

*****    However    *****

My mind has not completely left our community!  Now that I feel settled ( and not a mental case) I just want to get out and help! I got down to the 4th precinct police station to drop off some food for a potluck to thank our wonderful police officers that have helped us through this mess.  It was also great to connect with a few fellow Northsiders affected by the tornado.

Tracy, a resident of Old Highland helped to organize the potluck.  Thanks to Megan at Nomi Passenger for letting me know!  Food can still be dropped off for the 6:00pm and 9:00pm police shifts.

We will be out volunteering tomorrow morning at Farview Park with our local blogger friends Jessie and Lauren to help with relief efforts (anyone else that wants to help let us know)!  Also June 4th is Northside Volunteer Clean Up Day, they need 2,000 volunteers to get out and put our community back together.  Already 3,000 people have volunteered since Sunday, how amazing is that?!?  So call 311 (612-673-3000) to register and volunteer if you are local!

I plan on getting a couple much needed DIY and decor blog posts up tomorrow night and Monday.  Get pumped! Get ready!  It's been too long!  Hammers and High Fives!
Stop back tomorrow, it will be worth it!

Home and Property Damage from the Tornado

Let me start by saying the damage to our home is minor in comparison to so many others in the Northside.  We are so, so, so lucky we still have a structurally sound house and didn't lose any personal possessions.  It breaks my heart seeing so many others with nothing, NOTHING at all.  We plan on heading over to Farview Park to help Urban Homeworks with tornado relief through the weekend.  Call and volunteer!

Here is a review of the damage we are dealing with... 

These pictures make my stomach turn, but again we are lucky.  DIY-ers no more on these projects, this will require some major construction for the most part.  Also, this is the first time I have shared any photos of the exterior of the house. I have never shown any before mainly because we're not as in love with the exterior as we are the interior and we hoped we would tackle that project someday... guess that doesn't matter anymore, the time is now. 

Most of the damage is in the back of our house, so here is what things looked like on Sunday after the tornado hit.  Trees everywhere! Things were a disaster, but the main issue is that tree limb on our house.

It came through the roof and attic...

 and into our Guest Room.

 We took a look inside the attic, tree indeed, very bad news.

 There is also another hole and damage on the side of the dormer.

 Our main priority was getting that tree out of our house so we could get a tarp over the roof to prevent any further water damage.

 Luckily, our neighbor's friend Dan was there at the time and is the COO of Kuhl Design and Build.  He even talked us through the next steps to take and explained a lot about the insurance process when a disaster hits.  It was incredibly kind of him, I was so shaken up at the time and didn't know where to start.   I actually found very handy Storm Damage Tips on their site, I wish I had that before the storm!  If you are reading this I recommend printing it off and keeping it in case of emergency, you never know if this will happen to you too.

 They got the tree cut up and off the roof, hooray!  But yea, now there is just a big hole there, sad!

 Here is the hole in the Guest Room with the tree removed.

 Now take a look from the closet of the Guest Room.  Daylight...totally not normal!

 Here is a closer look.

 The tree also destroyed at least 8 rafters and most of the decking in our roof.  So in addition to the new roofing we need the roof  entirely rebuilt.  The guys from Kuhl rigged a few boards into place to keep the roof held up for now.  It has been kind of scary, any little creak I hear from the house and I think the roof is caving in, but I have to assume it is fine now, if it held up with a huge tree on it we are probably alright.

It didn't help us any that it rained like crazy for an hour after the tornado came through.  We have water damage in our stairwell ceiling.

 and in the office next to the guest room, which also has water damage.

Here is how the roof is looking now with the tarp.  Hope it stays secure, it is supposed to rain all weekend.  But we are looking at a whole new roof, insulation, gutters, fascia, soffit, flashing, everything, just a mess.

 Aside from the hole and roof, we have a few more minor damages

We need new chimney caps and brick.

Our ugly garage needs a new roof and some structural work on the outside.  I kind of wish the tree would have crushed our garage instead.

Our fence was crushed by the tree that fell in the yard

There is the rest of the lifted fence and the mega tree stump we still have to get rid of (PS- insurance doesn't cover tree or stump removal if it is on the ground, major $ bummer).

The broken concrete from the tree uprooting.

 Thank goodness that tree fell just next to our house (and right next to the neighbors house) and only knocked a small corner of brick off.

Lastly, our grill ended up by our neighbor's front porch.  Oddly enough, the Ikea patio furniture survived!  We found it beneath the big tree that fell, and it took 2 days to fish it out.  At least we now know Ikea patio furniture is tornado tough!  Sadly, no grilling for us on Memorial Day weekend.

So that is the list, like I said, it could be so much worse but it is still a lot to deal with.  We finally had our insurance adjuster out this morning to take a look at all the damages along with our contractor.  Sadly, it might take a week to get any information on the dollar amount of repairs we are looking at.  Our contractor also gave it to us straight, it could be a month before any work is completed :(  Turns out, fixing an older house (pre- 1970's) is very complicated, everything that was used to built it, doesn't exist or match anymore and building codes are different now.

Please pray for no more storms or rain for the Northside, most of us don't have a whole roof anymore and rain will definitely complicate tornado relief efforts.

Thanks for sticking with us through the tornado.  I hope I can get back to the normal blogging topics eventually, but for now decorating and DIY-ing isn't on my mind.  Maybe I can show you the chair 'afters' soon, got that done Sunday morning before this tornado madness began.  Blogging about all this seems to be helping me decompress and gather my real thoughts on the whole mess. 

Sorry no Head Over Heels post for this week (for obvious reasons).  Hope everyone as a good holiday weekend, we will try out best to have a little fun...maybe? 

Full of Feelings, But Mostly Just Feeling Thankful

I really am full of ‘feelings’, just a warning about this post.  Or actually I sort of feel like a basket case.  The past 3 days have been so physically and emotionally draining.  I feel so devastated about our house and not getting what we need to start repairs. At the same time I am also feeling so sad and sorry for the people that have lost their entire home and along with their belongings and perhaps the loss of a loved one.  I can’t even begin to comprehend what people in Joplin are going through or the sheer devastation in Tuscaloosa just a month ago.  I know their loss is far greater than ours.    I have to be so thankful that my husband and dogs are fine- they are the only things that really matter.  For now our house is livable, it's just not really a ‘home’ with a big hole in the roof. 

We have spent the last 3 days cleaning, helping neighbors, and assessing damage to our property.  The tornado left a 9 mile path affecting 22,000 homes.  We finally will have our adjuster at our home on Friday morning and it is so hard to be patient.  However, I know there are several other people out there that no longer have a home at all.

I have been so amazed and thankful for all the nice comments we have received on our blog.  As I have said before, I love blogging and taking people along on our home renovation journey.  Who would have thought that we would now be posting about a tornado and the carnage it left behind?  It is so nice to feel cared about by people that we have never had the pleasure to meet in person.

One thing I want to say is how amazed I am about the people here that helped us through this mess.  We have no family here in Minnesota, so it felt pretty weird to ask for help from friends for some reason.  But man, the help we received truly touched my heart, we really have some wonderful caring friends here in Minnesota.  A few folks in particular brought me to tears (being physically and mentally drained, any bit of help makes you cry).

**********

Cliff (and Katia), Chris, Dan and Matt- brought chainsaws and enough man power to help us remove the giant spruce tree completely from our yard in only an hour or two.   They even hauled away the biggest sections of the tree trunk.  Collectively, your help saved us from probably a whole day of work, and we could not be more thankful.  For the rest of the day I kept saying how thankful I was that they came over to help.  They were heroes to many people that day, because after helping us they helped several other neighbors in our area cut and remove trees.  Just out there helping, how wonderful is that?  I admire you guys so much for taking time to take care of us and complete strangers. Thank you!

All of this is now out of our yard, even hauled away, so thankful! These guys were amazing!

 

The roots to the tree had a 12 foot diameter, most uprooted and broke all the concrete by our garage.  The stump is still hanging out there.  Tree clean up has definitely been the biggest to-do for everyone and the city workers.



**********

Neil and Callie- making a wonderful meal for us Monday night and letting us (even our pups) hang out at their house.  As I walked into their house and saw the wonderful food, felt the calmness of their home and neighborhood, and watched our pups get some much needed attention and playtime I just lost it and cried.  It was so kind.  You are amazing friends. Thank you!

Simple and delicious, felt like home

*********
There is so much going on for us now, and I hope to post a few updates on our house.  We are lucky to have power restored now (crazy right?). Our alleyway was one of the only ones that didn’t have lines knocked down so our block has power.  Standing ovation to Excel Energy for that, and to the City of Minneapolis.  I am amazed at how much clean up they have done already- at least in our area.  I hope it is the same elsewhere.

Anyway, thank you for all of your concern and here are some links where you can look up information to help those in need in North Minneapolis.  If anyone out there knows a few more please post in the comments.

https://www.facebook.com/mplstornado

http://www.facebook.com/urbanhomeworks

http://givemn.razoo.com/

http://www.redcrosstc.org/index.asp?IDCapitulo=7K58A866M7

Also, our blog friends Jesse and Lauren have an informative blog post about how to help.

I will try and get a post up about the property damage and what we have done to secure our home from further damage.  Sorry if this post seems a bit scatter-brained, but I am pretty scatter-brained now.

Tornado Damage

I don't have time to say a lot, this is from Starbucks as I grab coffee for us and neighbors while charging up our cell phones.  Just a look at our neighborhood, I have never seen anything like this in my life.  It breaks my heart to see our beautiful historic neighborhood lose so much of it's defining charm.  But I know that doesn't really matter, I am just glad most neighbors got through this safely.

Here's our big problem.... that is part of a tree going through our roof and into our guest room.  It is connected to half of a 100 year old tree that has made a GIANT hole in our roof.  We have a tarp over the hole for now and insurance and construction contractors are coming out today. 

 So sad!  Goodbye pretty guest room :(

But that doesn't really matter, I am so thankful we are safe and that we have great neighbors to lean on through this.  I also have to say thank you for all of the wonderful and thoughtful messages my blog friends have sent our way.  It means a lot to read something nice when you are having an awful day.  Thank you!

The name of the game is clean up now, all of those old trees are blocked lots of roads and alley ways that we need open to get help here.  Bust out your chainsaws! 

Hope things go well with the insurance, I hear this can be an awful process.