"Wood"n't You Want To Live Here?...I "Wood"

Goin' for the natural wood look.

The picture is a little "grainy."

Nice warmth of wood in the kitchen, too.

All set for Kaffeeklatsch with some beignets.

And, upstairs, a purple bedroom.

All homes are better with a chimp who loves ChocoSmoothie.

A big thank you to my sister and her family..my brother-in-law and nephew found the vintage wood furniture at an antique store...for this wonderful birthday present.

Thanks to my son Will for the wood plant pedestals and bedside table. He's quite the connoisseur of wilder wood. He also gave me the MooCow chocolate milk, the Sugar Flakes and the really big sandwich. Scenes are always better if someone "messes" with them a bit. Will added the chimp.

Here's how it all looks when you get a full view.

West of Snook

Many Germans settled in Texas. With them they brought cherished treasures from home and they have kept those wonderful things to remind them of their homeland. But, they also embrace their new life and the new treasures to be found...both things and places. From Bayern they traveled to beautiful country west of Snook. They love Snook! And they love the light and have fallen for all things southwestern.  

The photo is of Fraueninsel on Chiemsee, a place

they love. And, as you can see, they also love Snook.

Other photos are of their horses in the pasture and of

Theresienstein in Hof, Bayern. The pillows are from Germany

and a local artisan. The couch came with them across

the ocean in a huge wooden crate and the vintage

chairs were shipped over more recently.

Never ones to take life too seriously, they have a goofy pair

of Lederhosen as decor. Their pup is

not quite sure what to make of them.

On the mantel is a wonderful statue of a horse by

a local artist and the shield of Bayern.

More southwest flavor.

Some German books.

I think even Wagner would approve.

Inspiration for this post came from my brother and sister-in-law who gave me the roombox and who will soon be moving west of Snook, Texas. Somehow "west of Snook" just tickled my husband and me. I HAD to use it for my blog title. We are German..I came over on the boat with my parents when I was little...and so this is a combination of our story and my imagination. We actually did bring the couch, pillows and flower vase over with us in a big wooden crate...one of two crates holding all our worldly possessions. The chairs and table are from Oese, a fellow blogger in Germany. My parents used to visit the Theresienstein and we went on a vacation to Chiemsee before coming to Tennessee to live. All the southwestern stuff is from my brother and his wife. The "W" is for our last name. The horse stuff honors my brother's wife who is an accomplished horsewoman. The Lederhosen were given to me by my husband and son as they quite often make a little fun of all things German...good naturedly. My son, the artist, made the little horse a long time ago. I found Wagner in the Salvation Army Thrift Store I frequent. Nobody wanted Wagner!!! I also HAD to use him in this post. Watch for more of him and Oscar Wilde as I have many ideas.

Scrappy

Too much work; too little time. But I have these gorgeous scraps and I just wanted a little diversion.

So, here is a tiny scene to highlight them. These are wallpaper and upholstery scraps I found at The Scrap Box. Pretty colors. I got a bunch and am itching to use them but NO TIME.

Es Ist Mir Wurst or In Der Not, Schmeckt Das Fleisch Auch Ohne Brot

My husband suggested that I should just make a cool, modern scene as my next project. Of course, I could not resist adding a bit of goofiness (and much loved German I have heard since I was a child) and all the beautiful Wurst from my friend Monika.  So here we have modern coolness with sausage.

The translation of the title is: "It does not matter to me" and "When necessary, meat also tastes good without bread."

Credits: Room is a wine box. Sofa and coffee table are Bozart Kaleidoscope House. Sideboard (now one of my favorite pieces) is from Monika as are the shells on stands and the sausages. Chairs are from Oese (also my favorites) as are the books. Flooring is a placemat. Wallcovering is scrapbook paper. Mirror is from local consignment shop. Empty frame is scrapbooking item. Other frame is a beading item. Plant is from my nephew, Nicholas. Buddha is from our local Tibetan store. Trays are vintage German from my childhood. I made the pillow. Sidetable is two blocks from The Scrap Box, a local source for discards from businesses and factories around Ann Arbor.

After A Nice Night Out

You come back home after a nice night out and what do you find?  Your babysitter has let the kids run wild.

"Who me," he says innocently?

Mom throws her purse down and starts to clean it up.  

What's dad doing? "Hey, look, I can balance the ball on one hand!"  

I just had to use the little Fisher Price popper I found today at the Kiwanis Thrift Store; it was on a keychain. My husband said he used to hate this toy...noise, you see. Room is the Ikea Lekman box. Couches and coffee table are Kaleidoscope House by Bozart. Vintage German credenza is from my childhood. Rug is my husband's mousepad. Accessories are AG Minis, Barbie, craft store flowers, some of my son's old toys, small Buddha from my collection, erasers, part of a consignment store tea set, and re-ment. Wall art is upholstery scrap from The Scrap Box.

Action figures are Rose Tyler and Doctor Who (yep, who me?) from "Doctor Who." Dad is Nick Cutter from "Primeval." You can tell I like BBC shows.

Kaleidoscope Purchases Made "Scenic"

I got my Kaleidoscope furniture from fab.com this week.  Then I went to my local source for "stuff," the Scrap Box, and here's what I came up with.  Not sure I like the dining room part..a little austere.  Maybe I will redo it.

Sofa, coffee table, dining table and chairs are Kaleidoscope House furniture. Shelf is dollar store find I spray painted. The black chest of drawers is from my sister's childhood, also spray painted. Eames chair is reac. Items from The Scrap Box are wallpaper samples used as floor and wall coverings, an upholstery sample used as the picture above sofa, and the flowers in the vase. Mirror and china are from our local Treasure Mart. Wall art is from Michaels and The Scrap Box. Frame on shelf is a Romare Bearden print in a spray painted Barbie frame. Blue vase is a bead. Heart on shelf is a buckle from a Brighton key fob that fell apart. Fire hydrant is from my son's toys. Rock is a Petoskey stone, the state stone of Michigan. On the chest is coral and Barbie candles on a black dish from my sibling's childhood. Buddha is from a local Tibet store.  Apples are erasers on a vintage German tray from my childhood.

Beginner Yoga

The friends wanted to try out yoga. One does the best one can considering the limitations of his body and the friends certainly had some challenges. They also may have to invest in some more appropriate clothes, but you have to start somewhere.

Mountain Pose

Corpse Pose

Meditation

Plank

Yoga studio is the Ikea Lekman box. Planters are Barbie, plastic bottle top, and makeup jar. Moss is from the dollar store. Fern is from Michael's in a pot from a second hand store. Picture is cut from a Hindu publication. Cabinet is Concord. Purple Buddha is a gift from my family and the small metal one is from the new Tibetan store in town. The OM is from The Scrapbox. Action figures of varying abilities are, Doctor Who, Nyota Uhura and Sulu from Star Trek, Stephen Hart from Primeval and Colossus from the X-Men.  By the way, the font is Trebuchet about which I have been reading in my new book about fonts, Just My Type by Simon Garfield. And, yes, I am a nerd.

Peaceful Reading Nook

Nick Cutter has a wonderful new reading nook. It's sunny in the daytime and light pours in during the early evening. Nice place for a book and a little coffee. Serenity.

Chair is Reac. Side table is re-ment. Shelf is Bodo Hennig. Flooring is a banana leaf which was under my wonderful meal at Frita Batidos. Accessories are Barbie, AG Minis, craft store finds, shells, ebay finds, and things I got at The Scrap Box.  Buddha is gift from my family. Dr. Nick Cutter is from the BBC series "Primeval."

Tea Time

Dr. Martha and Rosie take a break from shopping to have some tea.  Which room and tea set do they like best?

Credits:  Vintage 50s German table and food are from my childhood. Chairs are Hello Dolly. The barely visible icebox used as a credenza is Concord. Both tea sets are made in China; I got them today at Treasure Mart, my local consignment wonderland. Purses and red flower vase are Barbie. Callas and wall decor are craft store items. Wallpaper is scrapbook paper. Floor is scrap of leathery cloth from The Scrap Box. Action figures are from Doctor Who.

Black Credenza

Uh oh, no humor here at all?

I spray painted a credenza from my sister's childhood. It was painted with fake folksy designs like the cradle in the Rock the Cradle of Love posting.  It was not really my style. I like the black and I like the scene but, once again, my photography skills are lacking.


The painting is cut from a magazine. Flowers, vase, and box are all from Michaels. Wallpaper is scrapbook paper and floor is fabric swatch from Scrap Box.

Private Time With Uhura and Colossus

Colossus has run out of that very special shampoo that keeps his hair so black, shiny, and...well...hard. Uhura thinks this may not be the very best time to deal with it as she is just about to finish a really good story in her magazine. Ah, everyday life...precious.

They are enjoying their second bathroom. Saving up for a new toilet, though.

Bathroom fixtures are Plan Toys except for toilet which is Lego as is the plunger. I am scouring ebay for a Plan Toy toilet as my great purchase at Treasure Mart did not include that. Garbage can is an eraser. Counter accessories are Barbie, beads, vintage flower vase. Silver wall decoration and corklike floor are from Scrap Box. Picture frame is scrapbooking frame. Odie and Garfield were some of my son's favorite comic characters when he was little...so that's for him. Wallpaper is scrapbooking paper. TP stand is Barbie.