It’s getting steamy around here

Posted: April 18, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Laundry, This Old Row House, Vintage tablecloths | Tags: , , , | 9 Comments

Do you ever get stuck on a project because you can’t do it “right”? No? Well then you’re way more adjusted than I am.

emptyshelves

Most of the Christmas tablecloths have gone to storage, but now I’m stuck looking at the mess I’ve made. Ugh.

I’ve had piles and heaps of tablecloths sitting in my dining room for a few weeks now. (Yes, I am the house slob. ManRay never makes messes like this in the house. His tragedies are confined to his garage.)

I sorted through most of my tablecloths before heading to Sage Farm’s show the first week of April. (“Most” because I found another tote stuffed with tablecloths in storage this morning.) And there they sat. And sat. And then…

I finally got my own tool box

Posted: March 16, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Home and Garden, This Old Row House | Tags: , | Comments Off on I finally got my own tool box

Would you like to see what I got for Christmas? Yes, Christmas! (blush! blush!) It’s a vintage carpenter’s toolbox. Every woman should have her own toolbox. I’ve wanted one for years.

carpentersbox

The kids thought I’d paint it. Absolutely not!

Maybe it was a school shop project way back when. (Do kids still make things like this in shop class? Do schools still offer shop class? Or home EC?)

My kids thought I’d want to paint it. Find out what I did

Thousands were without power but I built a table

Posted: February 6, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Fun Finds, Makeover, This Old Row House | Tags: , , | 5 Comments

This past week we’ve had two major winter storms. One brought over a foot of snow, the other brought enough rain and ice to knock out power to 650,000+ people. I couldn’t go to work. I got to build a table on my unplanned day off.

Last summer I rescued a weird industrial sort of “tabletop” from my dad’s hoard of stuff.

tabletop

One of the weird things we found in my father’s basement hoard. It appears as though something once covered the middle area because it’s cleaner and lighter. Mysteries!

Why was it partially painted? What was it originally used for? Yep, there’s more!

Remedy for the winter blahs

Posted: January 8, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Decor, Home and Garden, Recipe, This Old Row House | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

The twelve days of Christmas are over. Partying, decorations and celebrating are fond memories now. The days are short, the nights are long. And boy, is it ever cold! It’s enough to give you the blahs.

Fortunately, we’ve got a strategy for winter blahs at This Old Row House: a thick afghan and a great, old movie. Oh, and some fabulously easy microwave caramel popcorn!

You shouldn’t be surprised to learn I’ve got a pile of vintage afghans. In this drafty old house you really can’t have too many.

afghancollection

I love their kaleidoscope of colors on a black background. Each one has a different texture and personality. Right now I’m favoring a heavy wool Granny square afghan that Luray bought for me at Sage Farm in New Hampshire. (Psssst! She’ll have a booth at Sage Farm in February!)

Yep, there’s more!

The weather forecast called for panic shopping

Posted: January 3, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Pyrex & Fire-King, Recipe, This Old Row House, Vintage tablecloths | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The weather forecast called for panic shopping

Snow! Snow! Snow! Snow! I’m enjoying a snow day at home because ManRay took my car to get to work (it has all-wheel drive and his doesn’t).

snowflake tablecloth

Okay, I know it’s not as bad here as it is at Luray’s house, but we’ve got at least six inches of snow. Maybe more. Hard to tell because it’s blowing madly and won’t settle down to get measured.

When we get weather forecasts like this, supermarkets always get emptied of bread, eggs and milk. What’s with that? Does everyone have a sudden, inexplicable need to make French toast?

Not me. But in honor of this snowy weather shopping mystery, I’m making Rich Bread and Butter Pudding from Tish Boyle’s “Diner Desserts”. And I didn’t have to run to the store to get the ingredients, either! Yep, there’s more!

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