*Knock-knock*.... Who's there?

Why, it's you! Do come in!

Here is our front door. We have two doors, one leads into the dining room on the right side of the porch. We don't use that one. I love the egg and dart trim under the window! We hope to strip these doors soon.

This is the inside of the front door taken the day we moved in. This is the only original trim left in the home.

Here are both doors. The one on the right is the dining room door. The room was half paneled when we bought the house. Blech! And there's another transom hidden above that door, which has no trim at all here. Step into the foyer~
When we moved in there was ductwork runing all the way up this wall. That had to go! I suggested we put a separate heating/cooling unit upstairs to get rid of it, which of course worked out for the best all the way around! Take a look at the door in the photo on the left. Fancy trim is gone, replaced with plain boards. The transom window had been drywalled in. I put a hammer through there one day to be sure it was still there! We brought that back out, tho we still need glass. Another old house was being remuddled and I got all of the old trim out of it. Kevin did a beautiful job trimming out the door. Also, this particular door (which leads to the parlor), has the only fancy egg shaped door knob left in the place.

The floors have also since been refinished. Ahh, I like the photo on the right much better, don't you?

Here is our staircase. We've stripped the newel post, but have yet to really *finish* this area. The spindles need to be painted creamy white, and we need to sand and stain the railing and posts. However, we have safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs which are rigged around the posts at this time. So, until we feel it's time for the gates to come down this project will have to wait. This first pic was taken at Christmas time. Note the trim around the doorway. Blah.

See that pretty miniature egg and dart trim? See that trim painted blue on the side of the staircase? I was told that the blue trim USED to be egg and dart as well. WHY would anyone bother to take that off?! Just kills me...

The lovely gate, and the reason for it! : ) This was about two years ago...

Here is the hallway with finished trim. Sorry *Rose* is in the photo, it's the only shot I have right now! Looking through the doorway you'll see the green dining room, and beyond that is the kitchen.

And here are a few photos from the 70's again! Note the drywall was put on directly over the plaster, so we lost the window trim there. Plus now the trim going up the wall by the stairs is flush with the walls. I would've loved to have seen that pretty wallpaper in it's prime!
The tour will continue ~ Stay tuned!

Let's go back in time...

The history of our house is very important to me. I have tried looking up everything I can. The owners before us had lived here since the 80's. Then my mother-in-law said she knew the lady who lived here in the 70's. I contacted her and was so delighted as she shared stories and photos with me.

Here is our home now, or within the last few years~

(it had just stormed so my bunting was soggy!)

This is the smoke house, now being used as a pool house.

And here are the photos from 1972. You will notice the house was sided. While scraping the old paint in '72, the owner contacted lead poisoning. Thus the siding went up. Unfortunately the siding butchers removed all the trim from around the windows. Thank goodness they left the details around the attic window, but it was still cut on the outer edges. How I would love to remove the siding and paint the old clapboard~ but alas, we cannot afford it and we certainly don't want anything to do with hazardous lead either.

(gotta love the old "Fox Photo" ones!)

I wish I could find information from the early 1900's, but I keep hitting dead ends. I'll keep trying though!

Welcome to our humble home!

It's high time I've invited you to our home!
I've always loved old houses. I've stalked my share, only to be let down when we couldn't get them. Pickins' were getting slim 4 1/2 years ago, and when our realtor friend showed me this one I jumped at it. Only trouble was, it had been quite "modernized". All of the orginal interior trim was gone except for around the front door. The 10 ft. ceilings had been lowered to 8 ft. They were sitting on top of the windows; there wasn't even room for trim!

A set of pocket doors led from the parlor to the living room. However, there was an enormous entertainment center built in the living room in front of the doors! The entrance to the dining room from the living room had very wide trim, and I could tell there were pocket doors there at one time. Could they still be hidden~ lurking inside the walls?

The dining room was half paneled, half unfinished. There was Cookie Monster blue carpet everywhere. The front doors and newel post at the stairs were painted blue as well.

All in all, the house had great bones. Not a victorian painted lady, but a sweet old lady who needed some tender love and a face lift indeed. My mom was with me and she said, "I can see you living in this house." And I replied, "So can I."

So we bought it. Kevin had been traveling at the time and I had to spend the first week in the house by myself. I kept wondering if it was haunted, but so far so good!

This was the first snowfall in our new home. I used this for Christmas cards that year.

We began making changes, and it wasn't long before we learned I was pregnant. Well! That meant a nursery was in store! The work on the other rooms came to a halt as our "storage room" took center stage. Frankly that's how it's been since Nova was born. We had hoped to be much further along last year, as we celebrated our home's Centennial. We are just now getting back to the point where we have time and money to put back into home projects.

We're doing a very big one next week, so stay tuned!

The Little House Part Two, lookie what I found!

Nova and I often watch a few youtube clips before he goes to bed. I was searching old Disney cartoons and just happened upon this! I had no idea that Disney did a version of The Little House! I was so excited! I must say I don't like it near as much as I do the book, but it's still cute. And I can't help but think that stumbling upon this today, the same day Rue had the farmhouse inspected, just might be a good sign! *SNORT*, I know I'm crazy, but hey.... she needs all the good luck she can get!

A little something to get you moving!

This has always been a favorite of mine and I was so glad to find it! I bet many of you remember it too. It will put pep in your step and you'll have it in your head for the rest of the day, so beware! : )

Ok, so now how many of you are humming or whistling??

(Bump-bump!)

"In The Bag" 1956

*AHEM* What's in a name?

You may have noticed I have changed my blog name! When I signed up for this blog, Scarlett Rose was taken. So I went with Rose Scarlett and have disliked it ever since.

I hope you enjoy my new title, The Scarlett Rose Garden. A mixed bouquet of my life and dreams of the days of yore...

Tales of a shoe hoarder...Episode Two

Well folks, ,while I'm on the subject of Jake and Mandi's wedding, I'll talk about the shoes I wore that day. Navy blue T-straps, in a rather 30's-40's retro style. I bought these on ebay to go with my vintage dress, also found on the 'bay.

The dress is a frock from the 30's. It's made of rayon crepe. (Remeber, today's rayon is nothing like that of yesteryear!) It closes at the side with about 20 hook-and-eyes, and ties behind the back. The lace is just gorgeous. I paid around $15 for this beauty! I'm wearing a vintage brooch at the center, my Grandma's pearls~ and carried her "pearl" beaded handbag. Oh, and fishnet stockings!I wore these shoes ALL DAY. I did the bridal party's hair before the wedding... I was sick as a dog and could hardly speak, thus I really don't wanna show any head shots. Ran around doing last minute things when I got to the reception, then I danced all night! For as high as these heels were, they really weren't too bad.

Here they are in red, wouldn't they be cute too!

I also wore these navy shoes ALL DAY to my home town's Sesquicentennial Celebration. I was to dress in the period of the 1850's, and Scarlett's blue velvet "Portrait Gown" from Gone With the Wind was as close to accurate as I had. I have to wear high heels as this dress is too long for me, even with the hoop. Here is a photo of our group, "150 years ago"~ my mom is on my left. Click on the photo to see details.

Psst... I'm also corseted! But that's for another post in the future!

And here is Scarlett in the "portrait", of course!

Happy 1st Anniversary to my brother and sister-in-law!

Jake and Mandi were married a year ago today~

Here are the men waiting for the Bride. I love this shot of the military lads adjusting their caps.

The wee lads were dressed accordingly; I bought real Air Force hats and cut them down and sewed patches on their shirts. This is my son(2) and my nephew(3), quite dapper I think! The wee lasses were in full princess attire, very cute!

These are the Bride's nieces, one wasn't walking yet so she was pulled in a wagon by my nephew.
And here's the Bride! Isn't she pretty?

Sealed with a kiss!
Walking into the reception

Gettin' jiggy with it!
This was really a dark on the dance floor but I lightened this so you could see. I thought it was cute they are so in sync!
A lot can happen in a year! They just had a baby girl, Jaidan, in April. Congratulations Mandi and Jake!

Memorial Day thanks to all who served, and to all who stood behind those who did...

From left to right: my Great Uncle Carl, my Grandpa John, and my Great Uncle Marvin. All served in WWII in different military branches.

Here are my Grandpa and Uncle Carl at my brother's wedding a year ago today. Uncle Marvin passed a few years ago.

THE LITTLE HOUSE, by Virginia Lee Burton

I want to share a very special book, and dedicate it to dear Rue, who is suffering from a terrible case of the butterflies. She must first sell her current home, so that she may continue her love affair with the farmhouse of her dreams. I don't blame her, I'd do it in a heartbeat! I just know that the farmhouse is meant for Rue and her family, and it anxiously awaits their arrival!



I first found this children's book in 2002 at a garage sale. It was marked a quarter. I picked it up, read it, and cried. It was rather embarassing! The person hosting the sale felt so bad for me, she told me to just take the book. Well, I couldn't do that! So I gave her 25 cents, and off I went with my new favorite story.

The book begins by telling the reader that the little house was built way out in the country. The man who built her said that she'd live to see the great-great-grandchildren's great-great grandchildren living in her.

But over time, the big city grew and grew~ stretching all the way out into the country. The little house sat empty, the big city looming over her. She was scared and neglected. "She looked shabby...though she was just as good a house as ever underneath." She just wanted to be lived in and loved again.

Then one day the great-great granddaughter of the builder came along and said, "That Little House looks just like the Little House my grandmother lived in when she was a little girl, only that Little House was way out in the country on a hill covered with daisies and apple trees growing around".

I'll leave the ending up to you, but I'm sure you've guessed what happens! A true treasure of a book, and I couldn't reccomend it more. I adore the illustrations. Plus, it's first copyright was in 1942, so that makes it special to me as well.

We're all rooting for you Rue!! And here's to all of the poor old homes that need loving families to restore them...

Tales of a shoe hoarder...

I am quite sure I am not alone in my crazed shoe collecting obsession. I don't know how many pairs I own, but over 100 would be a good guesstimate! I've been trying to remember what got me started on my shoe binge. I remember playing dress up when I was probably about 3, trying to walk in Grandma's high heels. And how excited I was when I could finally fit into my Mom's shoes when I was about 11. She had the coolest pair of leather clogs... OH! I wish she (I) still had them! I want to share at least one pair of shoes with you every week, so stay tuned!

No collection would be complete without these famous beauties~ of which I am sure flamed my shoe desire at a very early age!

*RUBY SLIPPERS*

I've made a few pair of these over the years. Just find a pair of shoes that have the "look", preferably red. Then spread on a layer of flexible glue and pour on the glitter. Cut bows out of cardboard and glitter those up as well. Finish with faux rubies of course!

"Keep tight inside of them, their magic must be very powerful..."

Indeed! ; P

The feathered nest~

Isn't this the most lush looking nest you've ever seen!? I'd like to climb into it myself. I bet it would've been so cozy. Unfortunately, a few days after I took this we had a big wind storm and it blew off. I didn't see any eggs, so I hope the little couple rebuilds. Every year the same birds come and build above one of our collumns. I will try to get a photo of them, but when you go near they fly away. I look forward to welcoming them each year.

This is a nest from a few years ago. They built this one in a hanging basket. Quick! Someone get that boid a woim!