Curiosity Cabinet Awesomeness

Joe and I went on a two week Oregon road trip last month, and I am still combing through all the photos I took. We had such an excellent time exploring small towns, going on hikes, and meeting fun people that I am already planning another trip for next year. Plus we didn't stop at every single scenic viewpoint and lighthouse we passed along the way, and that is just not okay with me. Side note, I have discovered that I am a Lighthouse Enthusiast; who knew?!

After one night in Eugene we made our way south to Ashland to get our Shakespeare on. Ashland is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and they are not messing around. That was some top-notch Shakespearian delight, and I can't wait to go back soon. 

Another highlight of our time in Ashland was the awesome hotel we stayed in. Our room itself was...cozy, but the lobby was Out Of Control. It had the coolest curiosity cabinets than I have ever seen, and I wanted to share some photos* I took. I have quite a few decorative shells, skulls, bones, etc. throughout our house, but I love the idea of grouping them all together in a cabinet to make a real statement. I hope you enjoy the photos, and I'll share some more adventures from our trip soon!

* Please excuse the low quality photos; I took them with my phone, and I either have a tendency to lean dramatically to one side while taking pictures, or else I had consumed far too much coffee already. I'll work on this.

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Home Tour: Office

It seems like a bit of a lie to call this room an office since very little actual work is done here. The occasional bill, I suppose, but most of my time spent in this room takes place on that comfy looking chaise right there with a cup of coffee or glass of wine depending on the time of day. (No morning wine, I promise.) I was super excited when I found that milking stool at a thrift store in Pendleton, Oregon as it was the perfect height for the beverage of my choice! One of life's little victories.

The office is just to the left when you enter the house, so the pressure's on to keep it (relatively) tidy, though it is amazing how many books, magazines, and general clutter can be stowed away behind and under things. Honestly, if I spent just half the time I take hiding a mess and actually put things away where there belong, I would be a very tidy person. Huh. I think a lightbulb just went off. Nope...out again. (Sorry, Joe!)

The kantha quilt at the end of the chaise was a gift from my parents, and I loooove it. One side is pink and grey but the other side is purple, black, and turquoise. It's like two blankets in one! It's been making the rounds around the house, but I think it's pretty happy in its current setting. The windows face west, so this is where I try to keep the most plants alive. The fiddle leaf fig in the corner is by far the most temperamental plant I have ever had, but I am determined to keep him around. Ugh...I think I just heard another leaf hit the floor. I sure wish fake plants would be back in vogue.

I absolutely love having this collection of family wedding photos on display. Joe and I laugh at how our dads have identical hairstyles and matching bow ties. Very dapper! I'm also starting to notice how young Joe and I look in our wedding photo! It's funny how that happens. Oh Time, you are a cruel mistress!  The tiger painting was done by Joe's grandmother when she was only twelve years old. Crazy. 

That odd X-RAY is of poor Captain. The oddest thing about it is that someone once asked if it was Joe. Definitely not Joe. Cap had a limp a while back, so the vet took some X-RAYs, and let me tell you, they were not cheap. So in a frame it went, and now it's Art. Speaking of Captain, let's see what he's up to on this lovely afternoon...

That looks about right. 

Oh look, here's where I sat and payed that one bill that one time!

Thank you so much for taking a tour of the office with me! Joe and I are heading out on an Oregon road trip soon, but I will post some fun photos and stories upon our return. Happy Friday!

H

Home Tour: Entryway

I did the math, and I calculate that I have lived in eight different homes in the past ten years, so once Joe and I finally settled into our current house I was able to release all of my pent up decorating energy. And by decorating I mostly mean moving chairs and pictures around to different rooms all the time, but you get the idea. I thought it would be fun to share some of the rooms in my house and how they are decorated so far. Everything is still a work in progress (whee!), but it really is so nice to be in one place for the foreseeable future. It seems to make sense to start with the entry, so let's go!

That cool skeleton with the headdress is our butler, Bones. I like to think he is greeting everyone who comes over to visit. It's a pen and ink drawing by a local artist named Pamela Green and was the first piece of "art" Joe and I got together. Yay, Bones! The glass paned doors lead to the office, and the textile above is from Thailand.

Our dog Captain's leash is left in the capable fins of Sassy Mermaid when it's not in use. I found the corner shelf at a nearby thrift store, and it holds an ever rotating display of  doodads and tchotchkes, and the lemon plant, Jack, just recently moved inside after his summer vacation on the front stoop. Let's take a closer look and see how he's doing...

Oh goody. It looks like I will be able to enjoy a small glass of lemonade when I'm eighty. Moving on. 

Here is the ferocious beast of a guard dog himself! Oh Captain...sweet, slow Captain. You will find him on his donut throne most hours of the day. He likes to look out the window and get a feel for daily life. Keep up the good work, champ. The small medicine chest used to belong to my aunt; all the drawers open, and you can close the whole thing and latch it and carry it like a brief case.

I think Captain has spotted a leaf blowing on the sidewalk. No rest for the weary, let me tell you. Also, our shoes are always lined up just as you see them here. (This is a lie...a complete lie.) Truthfully, though, the only things that get moved around more than doodads in this house are the pillows. I think they have started moving themselves. I definitely don't remember putting those there.

Thank you for taking the time to take a peek at my home! I'll share more rooms once I get around to cleaning another one. Check back in early 2016 or so...

H